


Alien Heart

by CeeCee33



Category: Clans of Kalquor - Tracy St. John
Genre: Foursome - F/M/M/M, Light BDSM, Multi, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-22
Updated: 2014-04-29
Packaged: 2018-01-09 16:29:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 86,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1148204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeeCee33/pseuds/CeeCee33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a bad encounter with an anonymous Kalquorian, Earther Bethany Corddray wants to stay away from all citizens of Kalquor and just enjoy life on her new home planet of Plasius. When she meets up with two more Kalquorians, however, they sweep her off her feet and right into the middle of their clan, whose Dramok just happens to be the anonymous alien who bedded and abandoned her.<br/>Dramok Rejan wants nothing to do with Earthers. A tragic relationship with a woman on Earth has made him refuse to even look at an Earther female. He's had just one slip: an amazing night with a little redhead after a drunken party at the Saucin's. To his shock, his clanmates, Nobek Zan and Imdiko Frell, meet her without him and both have fallen for her. How can he allow his clanmates to be happy when he knows how dangerous an affair with an Earther may be for them all?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PART ONE: PLASIUS

ALIEN HEART/Fan fiction based on the Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
PART ONE: PLASIUS CHAPTER ONE  
Bethany Corddray looked around at the swirling mass of people and smiled. She sipped her drink, a cool, almost butter-tasting wine, and watched the party get into full swing. The music from the combo in the corner was vibrant and sensual. Of course it was. This was Plasius. The entire planet was vibrant and sensual.  
“Far cry from Earth, eh?”  
She looked into the friendly blue eyes of Colonel Tyler Carter. The gravelly voiced Earther was the Saucin’s newest lover and it was whispered that he’d pleased Israla so much she now preferred him to her many former and younger lovers. She could see any number of women falling for the older man. He might be an Earther officer, but he didn’t have many of the Earther restrictions and hangups. Witness the fact that he was making wild, passionate love with an alien ruler of incomparable beauty and reputedly boundless sexual appetite.  
“A very far cry.” She tipped her drink toward the crowd. “I came back here to watch. Sometimes it’s hard to believe I’m here, on a different planet, surrounded by non-Earthers who celebrate life like there’s no tomorrow.”  
The colonel held out his hands. “Would you honor me with a dance, my fellow ex-patriate?”  
She grinned and stepped into his very respectful embrace. “So, you’re sure? You’ve cut your ties with Earth?”  
“I have.” He maneuvered them carefully onto the gleaming dance floor. “I told Israla this week. I’m not going back.”  
“You’ll have to resign your commission.”  
He snorted. “Not much to that. Since the war and the Armageddon nuclear explosions on Earth, its military is in chaos. There’s nothing to go back to. I’m looking to repatriate here, soon.”  
Bethany recalled that Carter had lost his beloved wife, Heather, in the Armageddon destruction. It had to have been difficult for him to put that part of his life behind him.  
She patted his shoulder, where her hand rested. “I couldn’t be happier for you. And Saucin Israla? I guess she’s pretty happy, too?”  
His grin was infectious. “All I know is she’s kept me darned busy of late. I’m one contented puppy.” He twirled her around and she giggled.  
“How about you, little bit? How did it go with Jeremy?”  
Carter had introduced to her a very nice Earther man several weeks ago. She colored up at the memory of their last night together.  
“It went okay. But he’s gone, you know. He and Rob shipped out last week. They were called back to Earth.”  
“Aww, I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t realize they would be deployed so soon.”  
“It’s all right.” She shrugged. “I’ll find someone. Someday.”  
“Pretty thing like you will have no trouble.”  
She beamed. He was like a favorite uncle or older brother to her. He always made her feel things were going to be okay. She was grateful to have him here in her new world.  
The music stopped and they applauded the band, then headed back to where Bethany’s drink sat on a little table in a corner. She took a sip and sighed.  
“I’m so glad to be here, Carter.”  
He gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Me, too. Lucky, aren’t we? Prettiest place in the galaxy, with pretty people who make love, not war.”  
As if to underscore his words, a Plasian couple drifted past them, their bodies tangled, their clothes dropping in their wake. Plasians were into making love all right. Anywhere, anytime. Sometimes, with anyone.  
“Israla’s crooking her finger at me, little bit. I’d better move my butt. It’s tough being the kept man of the ruler of a whole planet.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “You take care of yourself. And if you need anything, you know where to reach me.”  
“In Israla’s bed?”  
“Imp.” He hurried off to meet his exotic new lover, a happy spring in his step.  
Bethany was glad to see any Earther so happy. Many of the Earthers who’d ended up on Plasius during the recent war were stunned at the blatant sexuality of the gentle Plasian people, their lack of inhibitions, and their calm, peaceful attitude toward life. Their Earther upbringing, born in the repressive, religiously fanatical society that had held them in its grip for almost a century, had taught them to revile and fear all of the things that Plasians found good and pleasant and natural.  
Bethany looked at her glass and saw that she’d emptied it. She took another from a passing server and sipped as she toasted her own good fortune. She was surrounded by free people. A free world.  
If she felt any regret, it was that she had no one special to share it with her. She hadn’t had a lot of practice finding and talking to strange men, at least not men she found attractive. What would Lanth do?  
She giggled as she strolled toward one of the archways into the Saucin’s gardens. Her friend Lanth would be her Plasian self and walk right up to the man and ask if he wanted to have sex with her. She was so pretty and confident, she would have no end of willing partners.  
The second moon glimmered through delicate shreds of clouds above the softly-lit beds of flowers and ferns. There were several things she would have done differently if it was her garden but all in all, it was a beautiful display. She sipped her wine and drifted down the walkway. She’d often fantasized about meeting a lover in a garden in some faraway place. The moonlight would be just right, the scents of flowers blooming around her. Her lover would come around a corner, see her surrounded by blossoms. He’d come straight to her, take her in his arms…  
She glanced down at her glass. Empty. She set it on a bench and walked some more. The air felt wonderful on her skin and she tilted her head back, exposing her throat to the cooling breeze. She blinked up at the few stars she could see in the light of the multiple moons. So lovely. So...  
#  
Rejan glanced around at the seething dance floor and sighed. He appreciated seeing the Plasians enjoying themselves but he also felt frustrated. As a tall, muscular Kalquorian, he towered over these willowy beings. If he wanted to couple with a Plasian female, he’d have to settle for what the woman could do with her mouth and hands. Plasian genitalia would in no way accommodate those of a Kalquorian. True, the Plasians had very talented hands, and pretty golden tongues, but of late he’d been wanting the sensation of penetrating hot, welcoming, feminine passages. He wasn’t going to find that here, at the Saucin’s party, no matter how festive or how amorous the guests.  
The Saucin herself approached him. He put his hand to his chest and bowed. Israla smiled warmly. Someone had mentioned that the famously libidinous beauty, a giantess among her people, had taken an Earther mate and was most happy, even more relaxed in a monogamous relationship. Wonder of wonders. More power to her lover. She was nothing if not desirable, to any species. But as for taking an Earther as companion? She must be in love and out of her mind.  
“Dramok Rejan,” she said throatily. “I am most pleased to see you.”  
“Saucin. I’m glad to be here. Your home is beautiful.”  
“Have you found your visit to Plasius all you’d hoped?” She cocked her head to one side, her black marble eyes assessing.  
“It has been rewarding, yes. My clan and I are looking forward to the unveiling of my Imdiko’s sculpture.” He didn’t want to discuss his business activities with the Saucin. Not at a party. Nothing would be more dull.  
“And has your clan found satisfactory entertainment?”  
He smiled, knowing what she implied. “We have had some delightful companions, yes.”  
“Good. I shouldn’t wish to see three such handsome males suffering from lack of pleasure.” She waved a hand. “May I introduce you to anyone?”  
He let his gaze roam over the crowd. He didn’t wish to insult Israla by saying no one was worth his time and attention. Or that he really wasn’t in the mood to be social. It would be rude not to mention foolish to refuse her offer. He bowed to her again.  
“If you will forgive me, Saucin, I’m to meet my clan very soon.” He smiled. “I am enjoying your company, however.”  
“Ah. Such a charmer.” She wrapped a long hand around his arm and they wound their way across the floor. It was no problem for the Saucin to part the throng and stroll to her destination. On her way past a server, she took two glasses of wine and gave one to Rejan.  
He sniffed. “Leshella?”  
Her smile was merry. “Sweet to the tongue and delicious to the senses.”  
Leshella was a wine best known for its aphrodisiac effects. It went down so smoothly that if you weren’t careful, you could end up not only very drunk, but very entangled with some merchant prince’s wife. Rejan knew this from a close call of his own. Still, what did he care tonight? He was leaving Plasius on business tomorrow and when he returned, there would be less than a month before he and his clan departed for Kalquor.  
He sipped the wine and met the Saucin’s mischievous eyes. “Delicious indeed.”  
She eyed him speculatively. “Are you sure it is your clanmates you’re meeting? You have the look of a man ready to enjoy much more.”  
“I can always hope.”  
She laughed and let him go, resuming her duties as host of this pressing throng. Someone tried to catch his eye and Rejan made an abrupt turn, diving into the crowd, away from the Plasian businessman with the eager eyes.  
Rejan tried not to run toward the archway. By the ancients, don’t let anyone follow me. He’d had enough of the noise and heat. He wished his Nobek, Zan, and his Imdiko, Frell, were with him. He’d lied to Israla. They’d worked late and then gone to a concert given by one of their favorite goura players. He missed them. Perhaps he could meet them at the concert hall and they could find something to drink and then engage in some of Israla’s kind of entertainment. Several little Plasian females for the three of them would be satisfactory.  
He grinned as his body began to warm in anticipation. He looked at his glass. It was empty. That made three glasses tonight, yes? It didn’t matter. Since when did a Kalquorian need leshella to get into the mood for sex? Come to think of it, why did the Plasians need it?  
He set down the glass and passed through the archway into the gardens. It was another lovely night, scented with flowers and spice. He strolled along the pathway, humming. He began to relax. He’d had a long day of―  
He stopped. Just ahead on the path was a young woman in a simple white dress, her long red hair flowing over her shoulders and stirring gently in the breeze.  
Earther. She’s Earther, his mind said.  
Beautiful. Soft. Female, said his body.  
Can’t go there.  
Have to.  
His body won the argument. She seemed to drift toward him, a soft smile on her lips. He waited and she came right up to him, surprising him by stepping well within the space most Earthers required for personal comfort.  
Her eyes were green, one of the rarest colors in the galaxy, unheard of on Kalquor. Hers were crystalline and yet dreamy at the same time. She tilted her face up to his and her smile widened.  
“Lovely one, are you alone?”  
She nodded. He caught her scent, a blend of fresh berries and some other soft flower.  
Earther. Run.  
He batted away the nagging thought. The heat from her soft, slender body made him harden. Her wondering look and blissful smile drew him closer. She gave a tender sigh and wound her arms around his neck. There was no resisting such a lovely invitation.  
He pressed her to him and lowered his head to take those sweet lips. She responded quickly, opening her mouth in welcome. He cupped her face with one hand while his other fondled her soft, rounded breast. After all the tiny Plasians, she was a delicious armful. He didn’t feel she would break if he squeezed her tight.  
He tried it. He was rewarded with a murmuring laugh against his lips.  
Her warmth was against him, his tongue was in her mouth, her breast swelled into his hand. Need swamped him.  
“Matara, shall we find a place to be together?”  
She nodded.  
He set her away from him for a moment and looked at her in the moonlight. She was indeed lovely.  
He bent and quickly gathered some of the white lilies growing nearby. He placed them in her arms. Her look was pure delight. She inhaled their scent and closed her eyes.  
He swept her up into his arms and carried her across the garden, to one of the small cottages the Saucin kept open for her guests. For their entertainment. He checked and was relieved to find it empty. He pushed open the door and carried in his find. He strode to the oversized lounger that dominated the room, and deposited both woman and flowers onto its billowy seat. He moved quickly to lock the door and draw the shade that told others the suite was occupied. If his clan were with him, he’d be more than happy to share. But on his own, with this lovely one, he wanted her all to himself.  
He stalked to the lounger, intent on his pleasure.  
#  
Bethany gazed up at the tall, dark-haired man who stood before her, touching her hair. God, he was handsome! Dark, purple cat-eyes and his massive form told her he was Kalquorian. She’d met two of his kind, only in passing, when she’d worked for the ambassador. She didn’t remember much about them.  
This one she would never have forgotten. His broad shoulders almost blocked out the light from the windows and his chest looked like he’d come out of the womb pumping iron. Hair black as raven feathers was brushed back from his sharply angular face and fell in waves to his shoulders. He watched her for a long moment, one bold black brow lifted in amusement and interest.  
He sat beside her. She still had the lilies he’d picked for her in her arms. She let them fall when he put his arms around her and began to kiss her.  
Holy―  
The man kissed like chocolate cream with a healthy bite of whiskey. His tongue was slightly rough, like she imagined a cat’s would be, and he used it to tangle and rub her smoother one, stroking around and around the moist inside of her mouth. She put her arms around his neck again and returned his kiss with enthusiasm.  
One big hand cupped the back of her head. The other went smoothing its way down her shoulder, down her side and then landed on her breast. Every touch felt hot and somehow sweet. Every caress made her hungry for more.  
He pulled back from the kiss and looked down where his hand kneaded her soft flesh. She arched into his palm and he laughed softly.  
“What pretty responses, Matara.” He slid his thumb over her nipple and she felt it harden and contract. “I need to see you. I want to do this to your flesh, feel the silk of your skin.”  
He tugged down the straps of her dress, then found the zipper and slid it open. His big, hard hands smoothed away the straps, then lowered the top of her dress until it bunched at her her waist. She was bare to him, her breasts available to his gaze, his touch.  
“Lovely.” He kissed her cheek. “I can’t wait to taste them.”  
She shivered. A niggle of doubt pierced the gauzy cloud around her brain. She didn’t even know this man’s name! Here she was, half-naked, allowing a stranger to fondle her breasts.  
Oh, but his hands on her breasts were beautiful. Warm cocoa skin against her ivory. Her mind slid away, behind the gauze. All her being was centered on his hands.  
He picked up one of the lilies beside her and began to draw it over her skin. He stroked it down her cheek and under her chin, then down her throat, resting for a moment where her her pulse beat.  
“You like this, lovely one?”  
She nodded. She was having trouble forming words. The cool petals of the lily were in stark contrast to the heat of her skin. It was arousing to see a flower gliding down to brush across her breasts.  
“You like soft, don’t you, Matara?” He kissed her fingertips as she caressed his cheek. She slipped a finger over his lips and he opened his mouth to welcome her inside. She laughed as she slid her fingertip over his tongue and finally managed to speak.  
“You’re rough. Like a cat. Are you part cat?”  
He chuckled and closed his lips around her finger. He drew on it, sucking, and somehow that simple act drove heat streaking through her, straight to her sex. She had never had such an instantly sexual response to something so simple.  
She gasped, arching. “Oh, God.”  
“Gently, little one,” he crooned, removing her finger with a tiny bite. “We have plenty of time. I intend to give you everything you need.”  
Time. Yes, she liked that idea. It registered in the back of her brain that he spoke near-perfect English, though heavily accented. Was that usual for a Kalquorian?  
He set the lily aside and once more took her breasts in his hands. Her other thoughts fled.  
“Do you like soft here?” He stroked lightly, up, over, around. “Soft like this?” He put his mouth to her nipple and kissed. She sighed. “Soft like this? He drew her into his mouth, gently tonguing the rapidly swelling nub.  
She squirmed as another of those streaks shot to her pussy. “I like soft…but...I want…”  
“What do you want?” His eyes searched hers.  
“I want...harder. More.” She was surprised at the heat in her voice. The demand.  
He chuckled. “Oh, Matara, I have just what you want.”  
His mouth closed around her again and this time, he sucked. Hard. She gasped and arched. His rough tongue stroked firmly over her nipple, making her other nipple harden in sympathy. He placed a hand to her other breast, kneading and stroking as he continued to suckle its mate. When his teeth nipped her, she jumped, then moaned.  
He nipped her again, and this time his fingers pinched her other nipple, drawing it out to a peak that seemed to beg for his attention. He obliged.  
When he pulled away at last, her nipples were a deep rose, pebble-hard, and aching. Her breasts felt heavy, swollen from his exciting touch. Her panties were already wet.  
He lifted up so he could look at her. He smiled and his white teeth were brilliant against his dark skin. Really, a man that gorgeous should come with a warning label: Caution―may cause your whole body to melt into a puddle of butter.  
He kissed her, a pirate’s plundering kiss as if he had conquered and her mouth was his treasure. He held her head, imprisoning her as he took his prize. Her heart was racing, her breasts and her pussy were tingling. Both his hands went to her breasts and he tormented her taut nipples with his fingers. She jerked within his hold.  
He deepened the kiss, taking her breath, forcing sensation to fill her. She succumbed to the wave of desire and reached up to tangle her fingers in his satiny hair. So warm! This was what she’d been longing for, the warmth of man’s body against hers.  
He broke the kiss, leaving her lips swollen and hot. He stood and tugged her up with him. “Time to remove this.” He took the zipper of her dress all the way down and let the whole thing slip to her feet. She stepped out and he stood back to look his fill.  
“These, too,” he murmured, hooking a finger in the band of her panties. “You’re too pretty to hide.”  
He tugged and down they slid, and off, to join her dress on the floor. He stepped back again, studying her with gleaming purple eyes. She wanted to be more modest, she really did, but she overruled the impulse, choosing instead to meet that plum-colored gaze.  
“Matara, you’re the loveliest thing I’ve seen in far too long.” He ran a hand down her shoulder, her arm, then stroked down her thigh, her belly. His long fingers lightly ruffled the narrow strip of bright red curls below her belly.  
“More softness, I think,” he murmured.  
He reached down and picked up another lily. Delicately, teasingly, he drew the flower across her forehead, then down to her sensitized lips, then tickled under her chin. She smiled even as she shivered.  
His gentle progression down her body lit small fires in its wake. He ran the lily over each breast, and circled the tender undersides before trailing down her belly and lightly kissing her navel. He moved the bloom over to her hip and stroked till he reached her knee. She felt as if her body had somehow been electrified, and her skin buzzed with energy.  
Up over her other thigh and then…  
“Part your legs for me, sweet one.” His voice was soft but there was an air of command about it. She looked at him, suddenly uncertain.  
“Part them.”  
She’d been her own boss for years. She’d come to Plasius to claim her freedom. Was she really going to let a stranger order her around?  
Damned right. This was too exciting to miss. She spread her feet apart, opening herself to his eyes. And the lily.  
“Oh, God,” she whispered as he slipped the flower between her legs and stroked it over her damp flesh. Her eyes closed as she tried to calm her pulse and still savor the feelings he was giving her. Savoring dominated, calm took a backseat.  
“That’s good, beauty?” His voice was like deep purple velvet.  
“Ahh, yess…” She quivered as the lily stroked over her clit, its satiny petals just a breath on the nerve-filled spot.  
“Turn around.”  
She didn’t even hesitate this time. She pivoted and felt his hand take her hair and brush it forward, over her shoulder, exposing her neck and back. He began again, taking the flower from her neck and letting it flow over her back until it reached her bottom. He took time to let it caress each buttock before he eased it down her thighs.  
“Part again, little one.”  
She spread her legs and the flower slipped between her thighs and whispered over her most intimate places. She closed her eyes and alternated between holding her breath and sighing. The flower slid away and suddenly there was a warm body against her back and a hand stroking between her thighs. She jerked and gasped. He wrapped an arm around her.  
“Easy.” His fingers slipped over her flesh. “So wet, Matara. You make me feel very welcome.”  
Welcome? Hell, he was getting a returning hero’s reception. From the way his fingertips slid through the folds of her labia, she knew she had poured juices in answer to his sensual assault. She’d never been so aroused.  
He let her go and turned her around. He went to a nearby table and poured them each a glass of wine. He handed one to her and she sipped. Delicious.  
Her eyes dropped and she saw the hard bulge in his trousers. He seemed pretty glad to see her, too. Oh, God, she was staring at him! She jerked her head up.  
He grinned and his whole visage altered. He went from dark and commanding to warm and friendly. And still so handsome.  
“Your handiwork, little one,” he said, setting aside his glass. “You’re very beguiling.”  
She didn’t know what to say, so she sipped her wine. Her cheeks were hot, but she didn’t think the wine would cool them down. Not with this man looking at her like he planned to devour her.  
Did he?  
She sipped again. She began to relax. A warm languor was flowing through her and she drew a sighing breath. She closed her eyes and simply felt.  
When she opened them, she saw he had undressed. Her eyes nearly had a stroke. Holy hell, if she’d thought he was gorgeous before, he was nothing short of overwhelming now. Smooth skin, a broad, hard chest, rock-solid abs and two―  
“Oh!”  
He stepped nearer. “Don’t fear, Matara. This is how a male Kalquorian is. Two, where your Earther males have only one.”  
Two penises. One huge and hard and glistening. One smaller but also hard and glistening. They jutted out from his body, both a ruddy brown with smooth, bullet-shaped heads.  
“They’re beautiful,” she blurted.  
His eyes went wide and his smile was radiant. “Why, thank you, sweet one.”  
“Oh, lord, I can’t believe I said that.” Her blush actually stung her cheeks.  
He chuckled, a very nice sound. “Don’t apologize. You do wonders for my self-esteem.”  
He moved closer. Those incredible cocks quivered slightly with each step. Her mouth went dry. He reached out and took her glass. She was surprised to see it was empty.  
And she was feeling very relaxed.  
That didn’t make sense. She was looking at a very tall, naked man, a man from another world, knowing he wanted to use those two magnificent, huge sex organs with her. But she couldn’t for the life of her summon up anything other than a shiver of anticipation. Anticipation and acute desire. He pulled her into his arms and she melted further. His chest pressed against her breasts, his cocks pressed against her belly. He was so warm. His skin so smootthh…  
“Here, sweetness, lie down.”  
She managed to kneel on the lounger, then turn and look up at him. She reached out and stroked his cheek. “You are so nice.”  
“Thank you again. You’re very nice yourself.” He kissed her fingertips and set her hand away. “Come lie down with me. I want you very much.”  
She drifted down into the soft cushions of the lounger and he followed her, landing beside her with a smile. She reached for him, wound her arms around his neck.  
“I want you, too,” she whispered.


	2. Chapter Two

ALIEN HEART  
CHAPTER TWO

Rejan stroked the little redhead’s breasts and let his hand flow down her satiny belly to the manicured little thatch of auburn curls at her mound. He tugged gently and she giggled.   
Suns, he loved that sound.   
Her joyous feminine responses intoxicated him more than the wine. He could play with this little female forever, bury his cocks in her and never come out. But his pleasure had to wait. It was practically a Kalquorian law: the pleasure of his partner was his first concern.   
He lifted up over her and spread her thighs with his knee. Her green eyes were dreamy and soft. Yes, she was happy.   
He would do his best to make her blissful.   
He edged backward until his shoulders were between her legs. Supporting himself on one arm, he stroked those soft curls once more. She was delightfully damp. He could see her lush, pink flesh glistening with her honey. He stroked a finger through her folds and she shivered.   
“You’re very pretty, sweetness. Already swelling with your desire.”  
She braced herself on her elbows and looked at him. “What are you doing?”  
“Looking at your beauty. Touching it.” He stroked through her folds again. “Do you like it, Matara?”  
She sighed and sank back. “It’s wonderful.”  
Then perhaps she’d like more. He began to drag his finger through her wetness, parting the delicate petals of her sex, loving the way they blushed to a deep rose like her nipples and her mouth. She was incredibly soft, yet resilient, he knew. That tender flesh would feel wonderful sliding up and down his cock when he finally took her. He moved his finger further back with his next stroke and held his breath as he penetrated her sheath.   
Her reaction was a shivering little cry. His reaction was a sharp jerk of his sexes. She was tight, very tight, the walls of her vagina hugging his finger as he pressed further into her depths. She wasn’t a virgin, but she would be a warm, welcoming little hearth for his cock. She was slippery, her honey gushing around him as he gently pumped in and out.  
“Matara. You are a wonder.”  
He wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait. He knew how good it was going to be inside her.   
He kept his finger sheathed in her as he bent to lick up through her pussy. She jerked again and cried out. She squirmed against him and gave another of her sweet moans. Oh, yes, she liked this, too.   
He plied her with his tongue and hand, tasting her sweet saltiness, reveling in the way he made her arch against his hand. He had another test for her. But before he went there, he needed to be sure she was ready for him.   
He chuckled as she whined when he lifted his mouth and hands away from her. He slipped up to take her in his arms and kiss her. By the ancients, she was lovely. Soft. Responsive. Giving. He drew aside her long red hair and licked over her neck. She contracted and giggled.   
“Tickles.”  
What he did next did not.   
#  
“Aah!”   
She kicked her feet but she didn’t seem to have much control over her legs. But why was he biting her neck? Was he some kind of vamp―  
Warm waves of delight coursed through her and she relaxed abruptly, her head tipping back into the cradle of his hand. He raised his head and she caught a glimpse of fangs before he closed his mouth. He licked her neck again and all pain vanished, to be replaced with more waves of euphoric warmth. What was that last thought?  
“Better?”   
She could only nod and sigh. He kissed her again, and then he retreated, down the lounger, down between her legs.   
She tried to brush a lock of her hair from her cheek. She frowned. She couldn’t seem to make her hand move without it wavering in the air. It didn’t feel bad, but it was damned weird.   
Weirdness fell away as his hands and tongue resumed the excitement they’d been creating before he bit her. She arched again as need gripped her, holding in its grasp then lowering her, panting. His fingers inside her felt so good, filling her emptiness. His tongue had teased her clit until it started to swell. She contracted as another wave of need swamped her.   
“That’s so good,” she moaned.   
“I’m glad, Matara.” That purple velvet voice.   
He pulled his finger from her vagina and she cried out. His thumb replaced it and she relaxed, only to feel her desire peak again, making the walls of her sheath clutch at him eagerly. One of his fingers slid back, up through the cleft of her bottom. It pressed against her there, slick and strange.   
“What is…” Her words slid sideways. She wanted to stop. She didn’t want him to― She uttered a long moan. “Ohhh.”   
He had pressed his finger into her anus, gently, slowly, and not far, but it was so foreign she wanted to expel it. Until he pressed again and pumped in and out of her sheath at the same time. Then she groaned and arched.   
“Good…”   
He dropped his head and his tongue went unerringly to her engorged clit. She jerked and he growled. Growled! The sound nipped at her spine, making her shiver.  
The fullness in her sheath increased as he inserted another finger, stretching the walls that rippled around them. The pressure in her anus was almost a burn but somehow it also hit some new pleasure spots she’d never known before. The combined fullness in her pussy and anus was new, almost too much. She felt a climax rolling down her body.   
She tried to arch up but found she was just too relaxed to push. The sensations raced through her but she couldn’t seem to get a grip on things. Everything was good but it was so strange―  
“Ah, ah, ah!” Her cries echoed in her ears. He had pressed deeper into both her passages, then put his mouth to her clit and sucked. Her climax exploded, and her cries pulsed with every throb. She pushed higher and higher, the ecstasy so strong that before she realized her first orgasm had ended, she was caught up in another, wringing still more panting cries from her. Everything in her seemed to climax.   
She came down as he lifted his mouth away and pressed a kiss on her inner thigh. He very gently pulled his fingers free and she felt him reach for a cleaning wipe. In a matter of seconds, he was coming up over her, covering her with his big body.   
“Lovely one, that was beautiful.” He wrapped her in a warm hug. He kissed her hair, crooning to her. “You come like music.”  
She managed to get her lips to work with words rather than screams. “So, so good,” she gasped, her heart still thumping. “Never felt...before!”  
He cuddled her closer. “You are delightful. I’m glad I pleased you.”  
She smiled and stroked his cheek. Or she tried to. Her arm was so relaxed it didn’t want to move.   
This wasn’t right. She’d never lost control of her limbs during sex before.  
He placed a lily by her shoulder and the scent was soothing. And arousing. Her sex clenched as if he’d touched her again.   
“I don’t understand.” The words were in her head but not her ears.   
Then he kissed her, devouring her mouth and all she knew was she had to have him, needed him inside her. She moaned into his mouth.   
“I’m going to take you now. You are too sweet to wait any longer.”  
He kissed her once more. She blinked as he vanished.   
He reappeared as he raised up over her. She felt him nudge her legs further apart.   
“I will go slowly.” His voice came from far away. “You will adjust.”  
Something good pressed against the entrance to her sheath. Something warm and smooth and hard. Something large.   
She sighed and managed to wriggle. He kissed her breasts and the pressure increased. Then, there was a second pressure. What was happening?  
Oh, God, now she knew what the second penis was for. The smaller of his two organs pressed at the entry to her anus, slick with what must be his own natural lubricant.   
She wasn’t sure she wanted this. She wanted to stop and wait. Think about it…  
But it felt fantastic. All of it. The pressure, the stretching, even the slight burn.   
The pressure stopped, the incredible fullness remained. She should move, slide him out. It wasn’t what she’d wanted or at least she wanted to consider this more...  
She was floating too high to manage it.   
“Relax, lovely one. Just enjoy.” His hand caressed her face. “I want you to have so much pleasure.”  
He began to move on her and she groaned. He pumped carefully, slowly, as if he was going to bring her to a rolling boil. She almost giggled at the image. Bubbles.   
A heady wave of sensation bore her away from that thought. Her sex clenched and she heard her partner growl. He pumped her harder and she closed her eyes as she felt her clit zinging with the pressure he brought her.   
She lost track of what was happening until she felt her climax grasping at her, just out of reach. She wanted...she just…  
“Here, beauty.”   
He rolled his groin against her and she went shrieking into almost painful pleasure. She felt her body clutching uncontrollably, squeezing his cocks so deep inside her. Far off, she heard her voice, throbbing over and over. Her climax seemed to extend out further than her body, into the very air around them. She rode it like a wave rolling under her, then tossing her high once more.  
She lay on a cloud for a long time afterward, seeing his face, smelling the lilies, smiling. He petted her and held her and then he flipped her over.   
She sighed as his big, warm hands smoothed over her back and shoulders, then dug in gently to massage her. The man knew just where to touch to release any tension left in her body. There wasn’t much. She felt as substantial as dandelion fluff.   
Then he was entering her again, this time from behind. She was on her knees…  
Time slipped away but she felt another bone-shaking climax and then delicious, hot pulsing as he came inside her. Her spasms seemed to go on forever. Finally, he gentled her and kissed her and she floated off in his arms. Until he roused her again.   
Two more times? Three? She lost count of how many times she came. Every time, her held her afterward, murmuring praises and what sounded like nonsense, soothing sounds. It was so nice. And yet--  
She was beginning to wear out. She needed to get up and go. She couldn’t move...  
She heard a sudden, thin, whining sound in her ears and that was all.


	3. Chapter Three

ALIEN HEART  
CHAPTER THREE

 

Rejan sat on the carpet beside the pretty female for a long time. He was tired, but if the sweet woman wanted another go, he would gladly serve her. He shifted as desire warmed inside him. She was like a drug in his blood. Fortune had beamed on him tonight to bring him this little bundle of sensuous joy.  
She was delightful. It had been a long time since he’d come away from sex feeling this deeply relaxed and content. He couldn’t recall ever coming as hard. Her divine body drew hard on him, milked at him every time she came and he couldn’t hold out against her. He’d had to grind himself against her, trying to get far inside, to be a part of her, almost, as he’d given up his seed. This delicate female had devastated him.  
He leaned against the edge of the lounger and toyed with one of the lilies that were scattered about. Did these flowers grow on Kalquor? The scent would remind him of her. Maybe he’d bring her some next time he saw her.   
Her lips were just slightly parted in sleep, her long red hair a delightful mess around her. The tips of her breasts were soft now, but still carried that deep rose color he’d brought to them when he’d tasted them. Long hips, slender, but muscular legs. Fragile little feet. Surprisingly firm hands. She’d worked hard, this lovely female.   
In the morning, he’d bring her breakfast and perhaps they’d make love before he had to leave. He’d definitely ask to see her again. He could see sharing her sweetness with his clan. Frell would laugh with her, tease her, then joyfully take her, hard. Zan would love her with his mouth until she melted. He’d like to see how she responded to being tied while they took her. It was an enticing dream. Would she wish to help him fulfill it?  
An image of her in the center of their bed, smiling at all of them went fleeting across his mind’s eye. They didn’t have much time left here on Plasius, but he would use it well, if she was willing.   
“You’re a treasure, little Earther,” he whispered.   
Earther.   
Earther.   
“Larke.”  
He moaned. Suddenly, he was back on Earth. The smell of the lilies was quickly overwhelmed by the smell of smoke. He was choking on it. He couldn’t get free, he wasn’t fast enough. The slippery pine needles under his feet denied him traction--  
He jolted to his feet, overcome with panic. No. No, he couldn’t have done this. He’d never take an Earther to bed!  
Yet he had. She was right here, naked beside him.   
She’d wake soon. She’d start screaming, weeping. Hating him.   
Larke.  
He backed away from the sleeping woman and almost crashed into the drinks table. Sweat broke out on his forehead and his heart thundered.   
He had to get out. He was going to be sick. Or go mad.  
He grabbed his clothes and stumbled out into the pre-dawn light. He scrambled to dress himself, then bolted from the gardens, a blur as he fled.   
#  
Bethany’s eyes were weighted with sandbags. Lifting her eyelids was like pumping iron.   
“What the―? Ohhh, God!”  
She rolled off the lounger and raced for the bathroom. She was just in time to heave the contents of her stomach into the basin. She kept retching until she was sure she was just bringing up moist air. Then she retched some more, running the water to rinse away the last of the mess. She splashed water on her face and stared at her bleary image in the mirror.   
Where the hell was she?  
She glanced down. She was stark naked.   
“Oh, holy hell, what have I done?”  
She peeked out of the bath and looked around. Slowly walked to the lounger.   
There were wilted white lilies scattered around it. Two wine glasses were on the floor beside it. Her clothing was in a heap near the drinks table.   
She sniffed. The air smelled of lilies, cinnamon...and musk. The scent of sex.   
She looked down at her body, then flexed her muscles. She wasn’t hurt but damn, she was sore in her private parts.   
The cinnamon floated to her again and suddenly, everything came pouring back to her memory. She was at Israla’s. She had met a Kalquorian in the gardens. He’d been handsome and friendly and such a good kisser.   
They’d come here, obviously, and had sex. From the tenderness between her legs, they’d had a lot of sex. And it had been good sex, she was pretty sure of that. She could tell from the soft clenching of her still-swollen vagina just when she thought about it, that she had come and not just once.   
She also felt a little sore in her b― “Ohhh.” He’d had two penises, hadn’t he?  
But even that had felt good, hadn’t it?  
Yet there was something very wrong. Why did she have gaps in her memory from last night? Why had she been so sick when she woke up? Was it the wine? Had she been drugged?   
Her hand went to her neck. He’d bitten her! He’d bitten her and then things had started to go funny. She had been drugged.   
She looked around the room again. Other than the scent of his cinnamon-y cologne, and that second empty wine glass, there was no sign of anyone else being here with her.  
Where was this man? She looked again. No note. No blinking message on the com unit she’d slipped off of her wrist. No clothing. He’d just disappeared.   
She felt sick again and raced for the bathroom. Nothing came up but she was still terribly queasy and now her head ached.   
Somehow, she’d gotten drunk, drugged, fucked, and abandoned. Great.  
She sank to the cold tile floor. Tears welled up but didn’t overflow. She wasn’t going to give that asshole Kalquorian her tears, but she hated him. She’d passed out cold from his drugged bite and he’d run, without so much as waiting to see if she was okay. He hadn’t even asked her name.   
“Right. And I’m the dimwit who hadn’t asked him for his.” She slapped her forehead in frustration, then yelped as her head rang like a gong.   
That was that. She couldn’t stay here. She didn’t want anyone to see her. She dressed quickly and stole outside. It must be early. Plasians were not early risers, especially after a party. Good.  
She sped for the shuttle area outside the gates. A shuttle whooshed up beside her and she climbed in, giving her address to the command unit. She couldn’t get home fast enough. Her cheeks burned with humiliation. And anger.   
Kalquorians were dirt.  
#  
“So, you think you were sick from his bite?”  
Lanth, Bethany’s Plasian friend sat beside her in the cafe, her large eyes full of concern. They had met when they both worked in the diplomatic services and Bethany was always grateful for Lanth’s down to earth honesty and her insights into life on Bethany’s new home planet.   
Bethany nodded and toyed with her napkin. “He pumped me full of it. And gave me more leshella. I couldn’t move, I could barely talk. It was like what they used to call a date-rape drug on Earth. I was absolutely helpless.”  
“He hurt you?” Lanth looked upset. Plasians hated conflict and violence.   
“No, not exactly.”  
“You were unhappy with his skills as a lover?”  
Bethany sighed. “No, dammit. He was actually terrific.”  
“You came?”  
“Lanth!”  
The pretty Plasian blinked. “It’s a perfectly logical question. If you came―and I can see from the blush on your face that you did―even though you were unable to move, then I don’t really understand your anger. Good sex is good sex.”  
“But it was the way he did it. He made me feel like I wasn’t even there. I could hardly see straight. He just did whatever he wanted while I lay there like a piece of furniture.”  
Now Lanth looked sad. “You are right. Not being able to participate is wrong. And to do it by such stealthy means is despicable. I’m sorry this happened to you, Bethany.”  
Bethany felt tears well up at her friend’s sympathy but she fought them back. She really didn’t know why this still bothered her, or why it had hit her so deeply.   
“I guess I felt like I was back on Earth and some stupid man was doing whatever he wanted just because he was male. I thought I’d left that behind.”  
She picked up a bit of the pastry she’d bought and crumbled it in her fingers. It had been two weeks since Israla’s party and she still hadn’t forgotten the Anonymous Asshole Kalquorian, as she had named him.   
Lanth patted her arm. “Have you been with a man since? Or a woman?”  
Bethany smiled. “I’m strictly a one-flavor kind of girl. You know that, my friend.”  
Lanth shrugged her slim shoulders. “Things can change.” She leaned forward, capturing Bethany’s gaze. “But things will not change if you sit at home all the time being afraid you’ll fall for this trick again.”  
Bethany snorted. “Fat chance. Kalquorians are on my permanent black list.”  
“Good. That leaves you free to seek other lovers, do other things.”  
Bethany sighed. Lanth was right. She’d been moping about, feeling sorry for herself, only going out to go to work or buy food. She hadn’t come all this way to have one SOB hold her prisoner with fear.   
“You’re right. Thanks. I needed a kick in the pants.”  
Lanth looked at her dress with a puzzled frown. Bethany laughed. “A figure of speech. Doesn’t translate well into Plasian. It means someone has pushed me to get me started on a new plan.”  
“Then consider your pants kicked.”  
Bethany took Lanth’s advice to heart. The following morning, she slipped into a sundress and sandals and carried her pack and drawing materials to Capital Park. She strolled the lanes, taking vids here and there and stopping to note what plants and trees were already placed in the park. The cottony leaves of the +++s were fluffed out in the morning’s relative cool. By noon, they would withdraw and hide inside their smooth lavender pods, hoarding moisture. Many of the plants were striking, but they had not been set out in the most complimentary ways. Rexsennels were crowded in a grove with some evergreens that would shed needles all over the sensitive roots of the fruit trees. Dwarf conifers and pulp bushes were grouped so that their sap dripped on delicate titlanti blooms. She sketched a re-vamped cove where tralia and titlanti and puff ferns shared a moist environment with a flowing fountain.  
She pulled out her water bottle and sipped as she sat on the bench. Plasian couples and triads and quartets were taking a midday promenade in the park. Every now and then, they’d stop to engage in everything from simple kisses to full-on sexual intercourse. She smiled. Public sex did not appeal to her, but she took a perverse kind of joy at the Plasians doing so. It was yet another sight that told her she was away from Earth, not just from the planet, but also from its rigid mores and values. She’d been raised to think for herself, even though she’d had to temper that while she was still on her former home world. Gran, especially, had taught her about sex and in defiance of the social order, had told her that not only was sex a good and healthy act, it was meant to be enjoyed by both men and women. Gran’s teachings had kept her from succumbing to the stupidity of Earth’s repressive attitudes toward sex, but Gran and Gramps had both taught her the fine art of using good common sense. She had kept her knowledge and her beliefs to herself and when she had arrived on Plasius, she had still been a virgin. There was nothing, not even the power of youthful hormones, that would have compelled her to engage in sex―inside or outside of marriage―while she was still on Earth.   
When she settled on Plasius with the ambassador’s party, she had been first shocked, then, for a while, almost obsessively absorbed by the local people’s wide-open attitudes toward sex. She hadn’t been too surprised when she had learned that the ambassador was a bit of freak, himself, by Earth standards, anyway, which in his case meant simply that he was bisexual. She had been surprised and touched when he’d quietly taken her into his confidence and reassured her that her own life was her business. What she did on her own time, as long as she was discreet around Earthers, was both acceptable and private, in his eyes.   
She watched as, across the way, a Plasian male sank to his knees before another male and proceeded to fellate him. The male being serviced so enthusiastically was in turn kissing a female who sat next to him on their bench, wriggling in delight as he fondled her breasts.   
She grinned. A nooner, Plasian style.   
She took another sip of water as she stared into the branches over her head, admiring the glittering of their glossy yellow and pink leaves. She remembered how she had been almost panic-stricken by both fear and desire the first time she had attended a party on Plasius. The Saucin, Israla, whom she’d met through the ambassador, was also there, and that was when Bethany had met Colonel Tyler Carter. The officer had twinkled at her when they were introduced and when he asked her to dance, he’d told her a little about how he had come to be with Israla.   
“I know how weird it can be for us Earthers in this place.” His eyes were kind and she felt his sincerity. “I won’t presume to know what your life is like, but for my money, the old Earth is dead. Those old values don’t translate well across space.”  
She’d smiled but shook her head. “It’s easier to say that if you’re male.”  
“True. But I’d hate to see a lovely young woman like you living in fear in such an amazing new world.”   
Later that evening, he’d introduced her to two other Earther men. They’d been warm and funny and had both asked her out before the evening ended.   
She’d dated one of them once. She’d dated the second man twice, then gone to bed with him on their third date. He’d been sweet and gentle and she’d felt as if the loss of her virginity, like a huge burden that she hadn’t even known she carried, had been lifted from her shoulders. She was with him two more times, then both men were summoned back to Earth and she hadn’t seen them since. There’d been a heavy make out session with a Plasian but she hadn’t felt enough for him to go further. He’d been very nice about it and they were still friends. That had been the extent of her sexual activity thus far.   
At least, until she’d encountered the Anonymous Asshole Kalquorian.   
She sprang up from the bench. She’d promised herself she wasn’t going to think about him and she wasn’t going back on her word to Lanth.  
She opened her com and set it to vid. She slung her bag over her shoulder and began to walk again, taking pictures of interesting plants as she went. She was delighted when she came around a small pavilion and saw that the reflecting pond was filled with glass lilies. The fragile flowers floated on the water, as transparent as glass, save for their butter-yellow centers. She backed up a step to get a long shot and then the truck hit her.


	4. Chapter 4

ALIEN HEART  
CHAPTER FOUR

At least it felt like a truck.  
She pitched forward, her com and pack flying, and fell, straight into the pond. She managed to break her fall with her hands, but water sloshed up, blinding her. She yelped as an arm came around her waist and she was pulled, bodily, from the pond, swooped through the air, and set gently on a bench. All at once, she was flanked by two huge, dark trees. Trees wearing skin-tight formsuits.  
A male voice spoke. “Are you all right, Matara? Are you injured?”  
Another, even deeper voice, sounded upset. “Many apologies, Matara! I stepped back from my work without looking and got in your way.”  
She gaped as the trees knelt down before her. Kalquorians. Oh, great.  
“Can you speak, Matara?” The alien’s purple eyes showed alarm.  
“I-I can speak, yes.” She swiped at the water dripping down her face. She must look like a drowned hen, at best.  
The other, taller one, stood and disappeared in a blur of movement. He was back in a blink, a clean, dry cloth in his hand.  
“Here, Matara.” He laid it on her lap. “Many apologies.” His brows were drawn in worry. “I am so sorry.”  
She put the towel to her face, hiding from the sight of the two stunningly handsome males who were fussing over her. Crap. Just her luck to literally run into more Kalquorians. Good looking ones. Well, she wasn’t going to fall for any of their B.S., that was for sure.  
She lowered the towel to dry her arms. “I’m fine.”  
She picked at the limp fabric of her sundress. She glanced up to see the men eyeing her breasts with interest. She realized her dress had become almost see-through when it had gotten soaked. Oh, no, you don’t, you creeps. She began to dry her torso, covering herself from their view.  
“Are you sure you aren’t hurt, Matara?” the small one asked.  
Smaller one. “Small Kalquorian” was an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp or plastic glasses. But he really did sound worried.  
“I’m not hurt. Thanks for the towel. I have to go now.”  
She pushed to her feet. Her toes curled into soft grass. She looked down to see her sandals were gone. They must have flown off somewhere, along with her pack and her com unit.  
“Let us help you.” The bigger alien was off in another blur and when he reappeared, he had her shoes, pack, and com. She reached for them. Both men hissed.  
“What?” Then she saw it. The palms of her hands were scraped raw and small trickles of blood were tracking over her fingers.  
“Sit down.” The taller one pointed to the bench. His tone was firm, brooking no nonsense. “We will take care of you.”  
She sat, holding her hands out so they wouldn’t drip on her dress. She sighed. It didn’t really matter. Pond slime streaked down the length of the skirt and it would be hell to get out. What was a little blood added into the mix?  
The other Kalquorian had raced off and was back almost at once. He had a first aid kit and he dropped to his knees before her. He took out cleaning pads.  
“This won’t hurt, Matara.”  
He took hold of one of her wrists. The touch of his huge hand was cloud-soft even though his fingers were calloused. She watched as he tenderly, gently, cleaned the cuts and wiped her fingers. He did the same with the other hand.  
“Not bad hurts. I’ll fix you up right away.”  
He smiled up at her and she went suddenly hot. The man was gorgeous, she’d already noted that. But his smile? Killer. Sweet, wide, and warm, it made him dangerously beautiful. She looked away, afraid she was gawking.  
He took out a tube of cream and waved it in front of her to get her attention. “Anesthetic and antibiotic. This is acceptable, Matara? I’m afraid I don’t have a healing wave instrument with me.”  
She nodded. He smiled again and she actually felt her knees go weak. She watched as he smoothed the cream over her palms with a broad fingertip, circling slowly over the sensitive area. She bit her lip. Oh, Lord, she was in trouble here. This guy was melting her while he patched her injuries. How perverse was that?  
“There. I’ll put on a bandage to protect the site and let the cream do its job.”  
“All right.”  
“I am Frell.” He wound gauze around her hand. “The transport ship that backed into you is Zan.” He nodded over his shoulder. “We’re working on a project for the Saucin, just over there. We stood back to look at it from a distance and bam! A very pretty girl falls at our feet.”  
Zan snorted softly. “More like we shoved a very pretty girl into the mud.”  
Frell shrugged and winked at Bethany. “I like my version. We come off as more dashing.”  
She resisted the smile that was threatening to spread across her face. She wasn’t going to let them get to her. She knew about Kalquorian charm. Although, this Frell was a lot less dark and menacing than the AAK had been.  
She gazed up at the one called Zan. He was handsome, too, but his looks were stronger, bolder, than Frell’s. Both of them had the Kalquorian purple cat-eyes and smooth, light brown skin. Zan’s hair was darker, almost the color of ripe blackberries, and he wore it in a long braid down his back. Frell’s silky-looking locks were almost a deep brown, extending past his shoulders in gentle waves. Both sported powerful shoulders and long, muscled legs. From the look of their arms, they’d make great lumberjacks. Only they wouldn’t need saws. They could just uproot the trees by hand.  
Frell finished bandaging her hands, sealing the gauze to itself. He dipped his head and placed a soft kiss on each of her palms. “There.” He smiled up at her. “All better.”  
He packed up his kit as Zan took her elbow and carefully helped her to her feet. He looked down at her dress and she blushed again at the way it clung to her breasts. What had possessed her not to wear a bra today?  
“I ruined your dress. We need to get you a new one.”  
“No, no! It’s okay. I’m a whiz with laundry.” She scrubbed at one of the pond-slimed spots with her fingertips. “See? No worries.”  
He looked at her fingertips. They were covered in goo. The stain on her dress was worse.  
“We’ll get you a new dress.” He began to steer her towards the park gate.  
“But I―”  
“Don’t worry, pretty girl.” Big man, soft voice. “Let us make this right.”  
“But I―  
“I have your things.” Frell came alongside her. “Do you have a favorite color, Matara?”  
“A favorite color?”  
“Yes.” He plucked at her skirt. “You like blue? Like this?”  
“Blue?” Terrific. She was sounding like a seriously stupid parrot.  
“You have red hair and pale skin. Very striking.” Frell studied her. “Purples would look lovely on you. And peach. And greens to go with your eyes.”  
Ah, a ray of hope! Maybe he was gay. That would be far less dangerous.  
His finger reached out and stroked over the top of her breast. “Something silky, too. Nice to touch.” He gave her a decidedly wolfish smile.  
Okay. Not gay.  
She looked up at Zan. His attention was riveted on the spot where Frell had just touched her. Nope, not gay either. No such luck. Damn.  
They hustled her into a shuttle and crowded in with her. She was pressed between their very warm, very hard bodies as they gave directions for the market center shopping district. They smelled of clean, male sweat and some kind of tangy soap. She gulped as she realized that from their height, they had a perfect view down her dress, which was gaping a bit from her squashed position. She glanced up at Zan. He gave her a tiny smile and a nod.   “Very pretty girl.” His Plasian was a little stilted.  
She managed a smile. “Oh, I doubt it. Not after my little dip in the pond.”  
His face fell. “I am sorry, Matara. I should have been more careful.”  
“Yes, you should have,” Frell said cheerfully. “But then again, if you hadn’t, we wouldn’t have met you--.” He patted her arm. “Pretty girl, do you have a name?”  
She blushed. “Bethany. Bethany Corddray.”  
“We are pleased to meet you, Bethany. You are from Earth, yes?”  
She straightened. “Yes. But I live on Plasius now.”  
“We are Kalquorian. You probably guessed that.” Zan gave her another of those tiny smiles. “We tend to stand out on Plasius.”  
“We tend to stand out on a lot of places. But we do try not to stand on lovely women.” Frell’s grin was impish.  
Damn, they were charming. She settled back for a moment―as best she could―and let herself be the filling in this Kalquorian sandwich. There was something so elementally comforting about being this close to so much strength and power. She should be afraid. After all, here she was alone with two guys who could easily snap her in two, if they wished. They could do anything they wanted to her, come to that. But instead of scaring her, this soothed her. And aroused her.  
No, Bethany. No, you don’t. No arousing with Kalquorians or anything else. They were off-limits.  
But they were so big and warm… What was wrong with her? She had a serious kink for Kalquorians. When had she developed that?  
Frell pointed out the window. “Here we are. I think there are one or two women’s shops here.”  
He helped her out of the shuttle. She glanced at the windows of the elegant boutique in front of them. Her heart sank.  
“Look, it’s nice of you to offer, but this is Plasius. I’m not huge for an Earther but Plasian women at their biggest are about three sizes thinner than me. I can just go home and wash my dress.”  
“We pay our debts.” Zan’s face was stern.  
“And it will make us feel so much better if we can replace your dress.” Frell pulled puppy eyes at her. She resisted.  
“I can’t. These shops are too expensive, anyway. I couldn’t accept a dress from here even if we could find one to fit me.”  
“You don’t need to worry about our money, Matara.” Zan’s stern gaze softened as he looked down into her face. “Please. It would shame us if we didn’t make this right.”  
She looked away. These two made a formidable double-team. Not fair.  
“All right. But I still say there won’t be a thing that will fit me.”  
“Leave it to us, sweet one.” Frell hooked his arm around her waist and guided her forward. Out of excuses, she let herself be led.  
They went inside shop and Bethany had to struggle not to ooh and aah over the gorgeous clothes on the racks. One look at the prices had her gasping as it was. There was nothing there in her size, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Frell and Zan conferring with the clerk. She was smiling up at the huge men and answering with knowing nods. The men returned to her side.  
“Nothing here. Nothing my size.”  
“There is another shop not far from here. They will have your size.”  
She allowed Frell to lead her up the boulevard and into another, even more elegant boutique. They were greeted by a pleasant-looking Earther female with blonde curls.  
“Welcome to Bliss. How may I help you today?” The woman spoke in Plasian.  
“Matara Bethany needs a new dress.” Frell plucked at her damp, filthy skirt.  
The woman smiled. “I’m sure we can find something lovely for her.” Her eyes twinkled at Bethany. “We cater to Earthers. When I arrived several years ago, I had to have everything custom-made. We were the first shop on Plasius to address the need for good clothes in our sizes.”  
Bethany was eyeing the items around her. “They’re so lovely. I don’t remember anything this nice on Earth.”  
“You’re very kind. Come on, let’s get a fitting room started for you.” She turned to the men. “If you gentlemen wish, you can sit over there.” She pointed to chairs over in one corner. “My assistant will get drinks for you and your Matara will be able to come out and show you her choices, if you want to see them.”  
Two dark heads nodded emphatically. “We want to see them.” Zan fixed Bethany with a look that brooked no refusal.  
Big bullies.  
Resigned to shopping with two bossy males, Bethany followed the shop owner around as she showed her beautiful dress after beautiful dress. When she had a pile over her arm, she steered Bethany to a fitting room. She hung up the clothes around the walls and turned to leave.  
“Oh, before you go! I fell in a pond. Even my underthings are soaked and kind of grungy. Is there something I can put on so I won’t mess up your clothes? A slip or something?”  
“Of course. I’ll be right back.”  
Bethany waited in the plush little room and looked at the dresses hanging around on the walls, waiting to be tried. She made careful note of prices and set aside several that she deemed to be way over the limit. The shop owner returned, carrying two rose and white-striped boxes.  
“Try these. I brought two sizes, just in case. You’ll want a good fit while you’re trying things on.”  
She bustled away again and Bethany opened the boxes. She gasped. They each contained exquisite silk bras and panties. They were white, but very skimpy, and trimmed with delicate lace and ribbons. Utterly feminine.  
“She can’t really mean for me to wear these under…” Her voice dribbled off. The woman wouldn’t have brought them if she hadn’t meant her to wear them.  
She stripped. Fortunately, the pond-slime had been stopped by her underwear and her skin was clean underneath. She chose the lingerie in her size and slipped them on.  
“Wow.” She caught a glimpse of herself in the long mirrors. She wasn’t sure anything so luxurious had ever touched her skin.  
Frell and Zan were waiting for her out in the shop. They must be wanting to get back to what they’d been doing before she and Zan had collided. She needed to hurry.  
She tried on several dresses, all of them lovely. When she had, with effort, narrowed it down to three, she donned one and padded, barefoot, out to where the two men lounged, sipping drinks. They came to their feet and beamed when they saw her. Her cheeks heated and she ducked her head as she went to stand before them.  
She’d chosen a simple, flirty little dress in royal blue with a scooped neckline, tiny straps that tied in bows on her shoulders and a soft, floating skirt. She turned in a circle, then faced them, holding out her arms. “This one?”  
They made her turn again, making a show of considering. “Pretty,” said Zan.  
Frell made a noncommittal gesture. “Let’s see some more.”  
She went back to the fitting room and returned in a fresh lemon yellow with cutwork embroidery around the hem and a colorful obi sash below a deep V neckline. She twirled before the men. They came closer and looked it over carefully, then looked at each other.  
“Show us more.” Zan nodded for her to leave. She went, rolling her eyes.  
The last dress was of almost translucent white silk with dramatic, hand-painted flowers in deep greens and teals. It had a fitted waist and a halter top and was far more daring than anything she would normally wear―at least not as a sundress.  
The men came in closer this time, almost crowding her. Frell lifted the side of the skirt to look at the painted flowers. “Nicely done.” He dropped the skirt and stroked his hands over her hips to smooth it into place.  
“I like the back.” She jumped as Zan trailed a finger down her bared spine. He absolutely towered over her, putting her in shadow. “Do you like it, Matara Bethany?”  
She sighed. “It’s gorgeous. But it’s impractical. And it costs way too much.”  
Zan shook his head. “Let us worry about the cost, pretty girl. We want you to have something special.” He gave her a small smile. “I did knock you into a pond. And hurt your hands.”  
Frell stroked her arm, sending a little zing of electricity through her. “The colors are right for you. You look like a flower in it.”  
“I do like it,” she confessed.  
“You can wear it to lunch with us.” Frell beamed. “You will come to lunch, yes?”  
“Oh, thanks, but you’ve done enough. I should let you guys get back to work.”  
Frell’s arm slipped around her waist. “I’m self-employed and Zan is working for me. We go to lunch when I say. Say you’ll come. We want to see you in the dress.”  
“I have pond water in my hair,” she said with a grimace.  
“I have a studio near here. It has a shower.” Frell peeked blatantly down her front. He gave her a boyish grin as she raised her hand to cover herself. “Don’t be shy, Bethany. You’re lovely. Nice to look at.”  
She swallowed and looked up at Zan. He ran the tip of one finger across her collar bone. “Come to lunch with us, pretty girl.”  
Dang. These guys worked fast. Did they think she was going to trade sex for a dress?”  
“You will be safe with us, Matara.” Zan’s voice was quiet. And warm. “You have our word.”  
She looked up into his calm face. His eyes met hers squarely. Something in his expression said he understood her hesitance and would wait for her answer.  
She was taking a big risk here. They were too damned attractive and too damned eager for her to take a chance of being alone with them for long. All Kalquorians were to remain at arm’s length. That was the rule if she didn’t want to end up in another mess with a randy alien. On the other hand, Zan was looking at her so clearly and honestly...  
“I guess lunch would be okay.” Okay, the rule could probably withstand a bit of bending.  
“Wonderful.” Frell’s delighted smile was pure sunshine. “Get your things, Bethany. We will meet you up front.”  
The shop owner came to the dressing room to help her. “Your guys are sweethearts.” She took the rejected dresses over her arm. “Really nice.”  
“I-I guess they are. I don’t know them very well.”  
“Well, they’re pretty taken with you already, I can see that. Wow, their smiles every time you came out of the fitting room!” She grinned.  
Bethany looked down, blushing. “I think that has more to do with your lovely clothes.”  
“I’m glad you found some things you liked. Oh! And go ahead and keep the lingerie you have on. They’ve been paid for.”  
“Ah.” Well, she needed to wear underwear and her others were still damp with pond water. She stopped the woman before she went out. “Do you get many Kalquorians in here?”  
“Not a lot. But now they’ve found we’re compatible with them, more of them are coming in with their Mataras. That’s always a good day.”  
“Why is that?”  
The woman leaned against the door for a moment. She lowered her voice but her eyes danced. “They’re just so happy! I mean, Kalquorians are known for pampering their women but now that more men have a chance to have a woman in their lives, they’re just over the moons.”  
Bethany smiled. “So sales are good when they come in?”  
“Very good. I’ve actually heard of Kalquorian men almost bankrupting themselves buying gifts for their Earther women.”  
Bethany gaped. “No kidding?”  
The owner nodded. “They love to see their mates happy. It’s their way—their Mataras are the center of the universe for them. And, really, a lot of them are quite well-off. You know, triple income, no kids? I don’t think many of them are going under from their pampering.” She pushed away from the wall. “Well, I’d better go see to your men. I hope you’ll come back.”  
Bethany handed over the last dress. “Thank you.”  
She dressed in her old clothes. No sense in putting on clean clothes until she’d had a shower. She went out to find Zan and Frell standing at the front of the store with a shopping bag, a rose-striped dress box, and big smiles. Did they have to be so damned charming?  
They took a shuttle to Frell’s studio. When they came into the big, open space, she looked about her, wide-eyed.


	5. Chapter Five

All along one wall were sketches and watercolor studies of various scenes and landscapes of Plasius. They were taped casually, as if the artist stuck them up there on the fly. When she studied them, however, she saw that many of them were of such high quality that they might have sold as finished pieces.   
“These are marvelous! You did these?”   
Frell nodded. “I’m an artist and a sculptor. The first two weeks we were here, I went crazy and turned out sketch after sketch. There’s so much beauty and strangeness here on Plasius.”  
“Your colors are fascinating.” She pointed to a study of the Lisidia hills glowing in sunset light. “They’re accurate but they’re each a shade more intense. Like looking at the vibrant quality of the light, not just the reality of it. It kind of makes me think of the juiciness of the light here sometimes. It’s a wonderful effect.”  
“Thank you.”  
She saw the solemn look on Frell’s usually cheerful face. “Don’t you like it?”  
“Matara.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve never had anyone look at my work and say anything like that.”  
“I’m sorry. I―I’m no artist. Juiciness was kind of dumb, I know. I mean, I draw, but―”  
She had no idea how he’d crossed the room so quickly. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight.   
“That’s exactly the word I wanted,” he whispered against her hair. “Juicy and ripe and full of life.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Never say you’re dumb, Bethany. You’re both wise and kind.”   
“I only said what I―”  
Thought. She never finished the sentence. Frell’s mouth sank onto hers and he kissed her, sweet, hard, and long. She should have been struggling. She should have been telling him to back off. But his lips were so persuasive she could hardly move. It was a kiss backed with plenty of passion, so much so that she felt his arms shake as he kept her tight her against his broad, hard chest. When he released her, he was composed once more, smiling his usual, friendly, cheeky smile.   
“Sweet mouth. I like it. Now, lovely one, go have your shower. There are plenty of supplies in the cabinet.”  
She followed his directions to the bathroom, still under the spell of his amazing kiss. She undressed to find her nipples were hard and her heart was still racing. Her tongue stole out to lick her lips, tasting him there. She started the water running and stood for a long moment, staring at herself in the mirror. She had let another Kalquorian kiss her. And damned if she didn’t want it to happen again. Was there something perverse about her that made her run toward their brand of danger? Or did she just attract it?  
She stepped under the water and began to wash with the faintly lime-scented soaps. Frell was adorable, she had to admit. Handsome, charming, with a smile that would warm and soften the hardest heart. With his perfect features and long, silky hair, he’d probably been using that smile to get women out of their panties since he was a teen.   
She luxuriated under the triple shower heads as she shampooed her hair. He hadn’t been smiling before he kissed her, though. He’d looked startled and almost fierce, like he’d never heard anyone say anything good about his artwork before. His kiss had been breathtaking and intense, as if he felt he could pour something of himself into her in that intimate moment. She felt a tingle in her most feminine parts at the memory.   
She shook her head as she rinsed and then switched to the dryer feature. Get a grip, Corddray! It was a kiss from a man who was more than likely a practiced seducer. He took advantage of the moment and took what he wanted.   
She stepped out of the shower unit and dried any last bits with the enormous, fluffy towel. She wasn’t a child. She wasn’t an idiot. These Kalquorians were going to have to do better if they wanted anything else from her. They had a lot to prove, after their fellow Kalquorian had hit and run. She was no fool.  
She looked around. She had forgotten the shopping bag and her new dress. Her cheeks flamed. Okay, she was talking big, but truth was, these guys had persuaded her to accept expensive clothing, convinced her to have lunch with them, then taken her to a private studio, where she voluntarily took off her all her clothes. Oh, no, she was no fool.   
“Hey, baby, wanna come up and see my etchings?” She sneered at herself in the mirror. She’d better be on her game. But first, she had to go out there wearing nothing but a towel and ask Frell to give her something to wear. Yikes.   
She wrapped the towel around her and tucked it in tight at the top. Big towels for big men, she thought gratefully. She left the bathroom and padded out to the main studio. Frell and Zan were there, looking like they’d freshened up, too, and were wearing pants and soft silk shirts instead of their formsuits. Zan held up the shopping bag.   
“Here, pretty girl. You left these.” He handed her the bag.  
“I was about to bring them to you.” Frell’s imp look was back and she knew he would have walked right into the bathroom while she was naked. He would not have averted his eyes, either.   
“Thank you.” She kept her mouth prim. “I won’t be long.”  
She managed to keep from running back to hide in the bath. As it was, she knew with her darned fair skin, her cheeks must be rose-red. Both men had looked as if they’d be on her in a second if the towel had fallen. Kind of like predators on a fresh kill...  
Okay, that was enough scaring herself. She was just going to lunch, right?   
She slipped into the delicate lingerie and the beautiful silk dress and and regretted that her sandals were a soggy mess, not to mention much too utilitarian for this outfit. She opened the bag to stash her old clothes inside and saw the other box at the bottom. She lifted it out and found a pair of silver sandals that wrapped around her ankles to show off every one of her blessedly manicured toes. They were exactly her size, with tiny, clear stones decorating the straps. She put them on and felt gorgeous. She managed some rudimentary makeup from her pack, combed her hair and straightened, ready to face the enemy that gave her such beautiful gifts.   
Their faces did indeed light up when they saw her. It was hopeless: she was doomed to spend the rest of the afternoon blushing. Frell hurried forward to take her arm and Zan relieved her of her pack and shopping bag.   
“Thank you again for this.” She smoothed the cool silk of the skirt. “It’s perfectly lovely and so are the shoes.”  
“You make them lovely, little one.” Frell kissed her cheek. “Shall we go?”  
They went to a pleasant, cozy Joshadan restaurant in the plaza, where the men insisted on ordering for her. She had never tried Joshadan food. The maitre d’ was Joshadan, a small creature with big eyes, covered in scarlet fur from head to toe. Zan and Frell bowed low to him―or her?―which seemed to embarrass the Joshadan. He―she? it?―waved them to their table and summoned their server, who was Plasian. She noticed the men did not bow to him. They settled her in her place and then joined her.  
“Why did you bow to the maitre d’?”   
Frell scooted his chair closer to hers. “It is an act of respect and honor. A long time ago, Kalquor overran Joshada and enslaved its people, making them work in our mines and fields under terrible conditions. I’m ashamed to say many died.”  
Zan’s eyes were somber. “We eventually released them but we are still working to make reparations for our crimes against them. We bow to them to say we are heartily sorry and we wish them only the best.”  
“Ah. I didn’t know that. But then, we didn’t study much of the history of other planets and civilizations on Earth.”  
“When did you come to Plasius, Matara?” Zan passed a small tray of cool-looking greens to her. She took a piece on her plate as she answered.   
“Almost five years ago. I was in service to the ambassador from Earth before the consulate was closed down.”  
“More Kalquorian trouble.” Frell was pouring glasses of iced parinna fruit juice.   
“I suppose. I didn’t care much either way, but I was out of a job. Then the war ended and the ambassador was recalled to Earth. I chose to stay. I’m under the protection of the Saucin, just in case any Earthers try to claim I have to return.”  
“You don’t want to return to your home?” Zan looked sad.   
She shook her head. “Never. I had enough of Earth to last me forever. I deliberately studied languages just so I could get into the diplomatic field as a translator. I was thrilled when I got the job with Ambassador Martin and got to come here.”  
Frell offered her another tray of orange something. She tried it and smiled. “Yum!”   
He grinned. “I don’t think I’ll tell you what it is. Might scare you.”  
“Matara Bethany, why didn’t you like Earth?” Zan studied her face, his face grave.  
She felt her lips compressing. “Why does anyone with a brain in her head hate Earth?” She clenched her hands in her lap. “Miserable, repressive, misogynistic, backward, cruel, polluted―do I need to go on?”  
“No, sweet girl,” Frell said softly. He laid his hand over her clenched fists. “We were merely curious. We’ve heard many Earther females find Plasius overwhelming.”  
“I like my freedom. I like taking care of myself.” She softened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so militant. It’s a reflex.”  
“I like an independent woman.” Zan gave her one of his rare smiles. “A brave woman.”  
She smiled at him. “Thanks. I worked hard to get here and to be who I am.”  
“Who are you, Bethany?” Frell passed her more food, his tone light. “What do you do now that you’re not with the Consulate?”  
“I’m a gardener.” There. She’d said it. Let them turn up their wealthy, cultured Kalquorian noses at that.  Zan leaned forward. “Is gardener like a farmer? You grow food?”  
“No. I raise plants, yes, but plants that are grown strictly for their beauty and their interesting properties. I design gardens for people’s home.”  
“A hort-i-culturist!” Frell looked pleased that he’d recalled and pronounced the Earther word.  
“Yes. I studied botany and biology and specialized in horticulture when I was in college.”  
“You create life and beauty. From out of the ground.” Zan’s tone was admiring.  
She felt something warm up and loosen in her chest. She had been very defensive, expecting these men to judge her. By doing that, she was judging them. It was rude of her.   
“What a nice way to put it.” She reached to touch Zan’s arm. “Actually, I was looking at plants in the park this morning when I was―uh...”  
“Run over by a Kalquorian.” His eyes danced. She warmed and melted still more.   
“Are you making a garden now?” Frell hadn’t let go of her other hand in her lap. She loosened her fingers and he laced his with them.   
“I am. I’m designing a garden for the Saucin. A moon garden.”  
Frell’s smile was brilliant. “A moon garden! Now, that I’d like to see. What do have planned?”  
They kept her talking about herself for most of the meal. When the server brought them a plate of sliced fruits with a lemony cream, she turned the subject to them.   
“Do you live here on Plasius?”  
“Kalquor,” Zan said. “On the eastern shore of the d’Kal ocean.”  
“Is it nice there?”  
“Very nice. You should see it, Bethany.”  
His big, dark eyes were utterly guileless. He was a mountain of a man and unmistakably a proud Kalquorian male, but there was a quiet, honest center to him that Bethany found irresistible. He made her want to lean against him and let go of all her cares. Very dangerous, that.  
“I hope to travel more after I’ve started my own business. But back to you two! You have a studio, Frell, so you must be staying here for a while.”  
“I have been working here, yes.” He looked down at his food.   
“The Saucin commissioned Frell to create a sculpture for the central park.” Zan’s eyes were warm when he looked at his friend. “His work was chosen out of hundreds.”  
Bethany stared wide-eyed at the suddenly silent, serious Frell. “You must be an even greater artist than I thought when I saw your paintings! That’s a huge honor! Israla’s plans for the park are all on the highest level.”  
“You see?” Zan said softly, glowering at the artist.   
Frell raised his head and managed a smile. “Will you come to the unveiling, Bethany? It would be good to see a friendly face in the crowd.”  
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” She squeezed his hand. “Oh, I’m really looking forward to it! Was that why you were in the park this morning? You were working?”  
Frell nodded. “The gala is three days from now. Zan’s been helping me set it up and complete the last details.”  
“And you need a studio on Plasius to work on it.” She was excited. She couldn’t believe she was having lunch with an artist who had Israla’s personal approval. The Saucin didn’t bother with anything that wasn’t the very best.   
“I should let you get back to work, then.” She laid aside her napkin. “It’s been good to meet you both, really. I’ll look forward to seeing you at the park in three days.”  
They rose and escorted her to a shuttle. Zan put her pack and the shopping bag with her old clothes on the seat and bowed to her. She felt like a princess around this guy! Frell, however, did not stand on ceremony. He gave her a big hug and a loud kiss on the lips.   
She hugged him back, laughing. “Thank you for lunch. Good luck with your sculpture.”  
They waved goodbye as the shuttle pulled away and she settled back in the seat, smiling. What a strange day! What amazing men.   
Then she moaned. “Oh, God. What am I doing?”  
She knew exactly what she was doing. She was going to a gala unveiling to see two Kalquorians.   
Was she soft in the head? Probably. But Zan and Frell had made it clear who they were, what they were doing, and where she could find them. She knew where Frell’s studio was located. They’d made it a point to ask to see her again. They’d taken her out in public.   
Okay. Maybe she had prejudged them. Maybe all Kalquorians weren’t assholes.   
She arrived at her apartment and carried the shopping bag straight to her laundry area. She pulled out her still damp clothes and treated them for stains before placing them in the cleaning system. She went to change and caught a glimpse of herself in the bedroom mirror.   
“Oh, yeah,” she said, taking in the sparkle in her eyes and the color on her cheeks. “Kalquorian fever. You’ve got it bad.”


	6. Chapter Six

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter Six

 

“I want to see her again,” Frell said as Bethany’s shuttle pulled away.  
“Before the gala?” Zan turned to summon another one to take them to the studio.  
“Yes. I wish I could see her tonight but I’ve got that meeting with the gala committee. But tomorrow for sure.” Frell tapped his Nobek on the shoulder. “You want to see her, too, don’t you?”  
“I do. She’s the sweetest female I’ve ever met. Inside and out. She’s real.”  
“With a very real, very wonderful body I can’t wait to explore.”  
“We can’t both take her out yet, though.”  
Frell grimaced.”I know. We have to sit security on the sculpture. If those vandals come back I want one of us or all of us to rip them into meat strips.”  
Zan chuckled and held the door of the shuttle for Frell. “Awfully blood-thirsty for an Imdiko.”  
“I don’t care.” Frell climbed in and made room for his clanmate. “After that first night when they tore off that center section, I’m not feeling gentle.”  
Zan settled into the shuttle as best he could. The vehicles were designed for slender Plasians, not massive Kalquorians. At least Plasians were fairly tall.  
“We’ll spell each other tonight. I’ll take first watch while you go to your meeting. You can relieve me when you’re done. Then, tomorrow night, you can be with our lovely new friend.”  
Frell grinned. “You’re a good man, my Nobek. Letting me see her first.”  
“I thought I should because after me, she’s going to be ruined for every other man in the galaxy. I’m sorry, my Imdiko.”  
Frell snorted. “Spare me your pity. But seriously, Zan, I wish it could be both of us. All of us. I always feel better when we share.”  
Zan was silent.  
“You’re thinking about Rejan.” Frell sighed. “We’re going to have to tell him.”  
“Yes. But not until he gets back.”  
“That’s true.” Frell’s smile was wicked. “Let’s be mice and play while the cat’s on the other side of the planet.”  
They got out at the studio and went to change back into their work clothes. When they were ready to go, Zan frowned at Frell.  
“What if we really like Bethany? If we…”  
“Fall in love with her?” Frell shrugged. “We’ll have to burn that bridge when we come to it.”  
Zan chuckled. “Not while I’m around.”  
“Pardon, Pyro-specialist Nobek Zan. We’ll just cross the bridge. No fires.”  
They returned to the park and went to work behind the high, canvas curtains that shielded the work from prying eyes before the unveiling. Zan thought about how Bethany had looked in the silk dress they’d bought for her. She’d been shy about accepting anything from them and had worried they were paying too much. He wouldn’t admit it to Frell, but he would have bought her the whole store if she’d asked for it. Something about the pretty Earther reached him in his deepest heart, where he never let anyone go. It wasn’t just her luscious, slim body with her small, perfect breasts―breasts that promised to be a tender fit in his palm and his mouth. He felt more than lust. Something about her crystalline green eyes and the way they sparked with pride when she spoke of her work and her independence made her especially appealing. Those eyes could also look soft and kindly, or shine with excitement. There was nothing coy, or simpering, or calculating about her. She was as fresh and lively as the plants she so obviously loved.  
Rejan would be a problem, he thought as he fitted a metal plate and carefully soldered it into place. His Dramok avoided Earthers at all costs. Rejan’s heart had almost been destroyed on Earth and he was determined never to allow himself to feel that way again. Zan couldn’t blame him for that. The day Rejan lost everything there on Earth was the day he’d met Rejan for the first time. He’d befriended the grieving Dramok and it had taken a very long time before Rejan recovered. No, their clan chief wouldn’t accept an Earther female in their midst.  
He scowled. His Nobek instinct and training had schooled him to obey his Dramok and protect his clan at all times. He would follow Rejan’s orders and he would always put the clan before all else. If Rejan said he couldn’t see Bethany again, that was that. But before that happened―if it was going to happen―he wanted to know if his feelings for the sweet little redhead were true. If it was just a whim, then that was fine.  
Yet he wasn’t a man given to whims. He was a warrior with a guarded, warrior’s heart. If his feelings for Bethany were as real as they felt right now, it would be a bitter struggle for him to do his duty.  
A towel hit him in the face. He started, then glared at his grinning Imdiko. “What?”  
“Stop daydreaming about our pretty friend. Your cocks are going to get caught in the artwork.”  
Zan shifted. Frell was right. He had gone hard for her even as he was stressing over how to deal with his clan chief. Bethany Corddray was enticing, even when absent.  
“Don’t worry,” Frell said more kindly. “Mine have been doing the same thing. I’m going to com her now. I just thought of where I want to take her and we’ll need the whole day.”  
“The whole day and night?” Zan growled.  
“You can do the same when you get your turn.”  
“I will.”  
Frell laughed and walked away, tapping his com. His sneaky Imdiko had peeked at her com while she was showering at the studio and had gotten her link-code.  
Frell was right, it would be so much better if they all could share her at the same time. That was what clan was for, what they did. He was happy Frell would be with her. He wanted to claim Bethany as theirs, as soon as possible and for however long they might have, even if they had to do it serially at first. Later, after the gala, they’d both take her to bed and enjoy her together.  
If only Rejan would join them. Then it would be perfect.  
Frell returned, beaming. “She said yes! I’m taking her to Minishan for the day. She’ll like the flower fields and we can go to the botanical gardens, too.”  
Zan nodded. “Very smart. I’ll have to think of something special for her, too.”  
“Don’t worry about Rejan, Zan.”  
Zan glanced at him. Frell’s Imdiko traits included some sort of intuition that defied Zan’s understanding. He could pick his clanmates’ emotions out of the air, it seemed.  
“Rejan is always fair. He won’t prevent us from seeing her.”  
“I know.” Zan’s mouth twisted. “I just wish it didn’t have to be without him.”  
#  
Bethany wrapped her arms around herself and smiled. He’d commed her! Frell had somehow found out her link-code, commed her and asked her to spend the day with him tomorrow. He wanted to see her again. She’d said yes.  
The door chimes rang and she found a delivery bot on her porch. “Sign please,” the voice said, extending the pad and stylus with one of its several arms. She signed, took the large package from the bot and carried it inside to her dining table. She opened the box and saw another box inside, striped in rose and white and tied with a luxurious white satin bow. It was from Bliss.  
She lifted off the top and saw two more sundresses inside, the royal blue one and the yellow one she tried on at the shop. She pulled them out, shaking her head. The shop owner had been right about Kalquorian men. They liked to spend on their women.  
She found a card in the tissue paper. “‘We’ll be seeing you soon. Zan.’”  
There was another box beneath the dresses. She lifted it out and removed the lid. She gasped and blushed. It contained the naughtiest, most feminine, laciest lingerie she’d ever seen. Two sets, one in pale peach, and one in red.  
“We hope to see much more of you soon. Frell.” Oh, boy.  
She set down the box and walked around the living area for several minutes. She hit the com and linked to Lanth. She told her friend all about the Kalquorians and their gifts. She held up the red set.  
“I think these guys want me out of my panties, into these panties, and then out of these panties.”  
Lanth chuckled. “Wonderful. These two sound more like the Kalquorians I’ve met. They treat their females like princesses.” Her friend’s lovely cap of olive hair rippled around her head. “Now, admit I was right about getting out and doing something new.”  
“I wasn’t looking to get knocked into a pond by a T-Rex.”  
“T-Rex?” Lanth’s delicate features crinkled in puzzlement.  
“A very large, extinct Earther animal. Huge and muscle-bound.”  
“Ah. So, two very gorgeous T-Rexes pulled you out and now they like you so much they’re sending you gifts, asking you out, and inviting you to important parties. That’s sooo sad, Bethany.”  
“But I’d sworn off Kalquorians.”  
“All because of one bad one? Would you apply that rule to my species? To Earthers? Would you like it if they felt that way about you?” Lanth’s voice was gentle but her words were on point.  
Bethany deflated. “You’re right. I shouldn’t judge, should I?”  
“You were hurt, so you’re cautious. Is there anything about these two that says they’re going to do the same as that rotten male at Israla’s party?”  
“I don’t think so. But they’re not wasting any time.” She waved the bra in front of the vid again.  
Lanth smiled and shrugged. “Kalquorians are very sexual, and despite their lack of available females, they’re quite choosy. They’re also predatory lovers. When they see someone they really like, they pursue her.”  
“I guess.”  
“I know. These males are very powerful in bed as well as out. They’re much desired by females of many species. You are to be envied, my friend.”  
Bethany chewed her lip. “You don’t think they’re after me just to be a breeder, do you? Just because I’m reproductively compatible?”  
“Kalquorians don’t breed unless they’re in a committed clan relationship. When they take a Matara, it’s for life and they are unfailingly faithful. From what you’ve said, these two aren’t part of a clan. Do I think they want to have sex with you? Oh, yes. Do I think they have ulterior motives? Probably not.”  
“So, I should go out with them?”  
“Yes! And you should also have lots of glorious sex with them!” Lanth tilted her head, her big eyes wise. “Didn’t you say sex with that other bad Kalquorian was the best you’d ever had? From what I know, the good ones give great sex, too.”  
Bethany laughed. “Okay. I’ll give the T-Rexes a chance. Well, one of them, anyway. Only one of them asked me out.”  
She greeted Frell the next morning, wearing the royal blue sundress. He beamed, then took her hand and whirled her about.  
“You look lovely, Matara! You liked the gifts, then?”  
“I did. You really shouldn’t have, though.”  
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a resounding kiss. “Sometimes it’s nice to do things we shouldn’t, yes?”  
She shook her head, smiling up into those warm, laughing eyes. “I’ll bet you do that a lot.”  
He raised his eyebrows, all innocence. “I’m the soul of restraint.”  
She gave him a gentle shove and he stepped back, taking hold of her hand. He led her down the walk to the waiting shuttle. He helped her in and when he took his seat beside her, he instructed the shuttle to take them to the sky harbor.  
“Sky harbor?” That was where ships waited to take off from Plasius.  
“I thought you might like to see Minishan.”  
She clasped her hands together. “Really? We’re going to the old city?”  
“If you wish it. I hope you wish it, because I’ve booked us onto the intercontinental transport.”  
“Oh, Frell, I’ve wanted to go there ever since I got here but I’ve never had the time or the money!” She frowned. “Tickets there are expensive. Artists don’t make that much, generally. Please let me share the cost, anyway.”  
He hugged her. “You are a sweet one, all right. No, you may not share the cost with me. I would be offended if you did. Your company and your pleasure is all the payment I want.”  
Something about the way his eyes lighted at the word “pleasure” stirred her. He was still holding her, smiling, and her feminine core went warm. She thought he was going to kiss her, but he let her go and sat back in his seat.  
“I thought we’d visit the flower fields. And perhaps the botanical gardens?”  
Excitement whirled in her at the prospect. “I can’t wait! I’ll be in heaven!”  
He smiled and kissed her hand. “Good. That’s just where I want you.”  
They reached the harbor a few moments later and Frell led her to one of the Plasian transport system ships. They found seats near the back and Bethany was so happy about the upcoming trip she almost couldn’t sit still. Frell looked at her with pure delight.  
“Your eyes are shining.” He stroked her forearm with one finger. “You look like a little girl about to have her first ride on a kestarsh.”  
Shivers followed the track of his finger. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. If she went on this way, she’d be overwhelmed before they reached the ancient city. She willed her voice to sound calm.  
“I’m so pleased to be going.”  
He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. He lingered there, causing warm currents of desire to move within her. She wanted to moan. She was never going to calm down if he didn’t stop doing these wonderful things to her body.  
“Don’t hold back, Bethany.” He pulled away to look at her. “I like enthusiasm. Juiciness.”  
She grinned. “My word for your art.”  
“Yes.” He kissed her again, quickly. “Ah! We’re taking off.”  
The trip to Minishan took about an hour on the high speed transport. The vid wall showed the ground below as they passed over the Plasian desert, across a small ocean, and then into the hill country. They touched down in a sky harbor well outside the city.  
“The Minishan governors know their greatest industry is tourism,” Frell explained as they caught a shuttle outside the skyport. “Transports and shuttles are routed far around the city so the old world atmosphere isn’t disrupted.”  
“Very wise.”  
Frell instructed the shuttle to take them to the flower fields and they were soon zooming toward the vast hillsides to the north of Minishan. Bethany gasped at the sight below. Mile after mile of colors and textures stretched in a huge fan shape, out from the shadow of the mountains. Every shade imaginable of every color imaginable was laid out in neat segments, the growing season at its peak. There were even sectors where she couldn’t see any color but gray, but knew that other species whose eyes registered different kinds of light from Earthers’ could see their beauty.  
She squeezed Frell’s hand. “I can’t believe I’m finally here.”  
They left their shuttle at the gates to a flower grower’s display garden. Minishan flower growers operated much as wine-growers on Earth. Where vineyards had tasting rooms, flower growers had sample gardens.  
They were welcomed through the gates and a smiling Plasian female escorted them to the garden proper. Frell held Bethany’s hand as they passed through the decorative archway and stepped into what she could only describe as Paradise. Everywhere she looked, blossoms were moving in the gentle breeze.  
“Those are dal’ish’in.” She gazed, rapt, at a stand of tall purple grasses. The rustling of their stiff leaves sounded like chimes. “They only grow around Islinn.” She darted ahead. “Oh, my goodness! Hollyhocks!”  
Frell joined her and slipped his arm around her waist. “I’ve never seen those. What a color! That red is almost black.”  
“They’re from Earth. My gran had them in her yard when I was growing up. They come in lots of colors and they grow almost as tall as you.” She looked up at him. “Almost.”  
His arm tightened around her. He kissed her again.  
When he finished taking her breath away, she attempted to give him a severe look. “You never ask. You just take kisses whenever you want.”  
His eyes glinted. “Yes. You taste too sweet and asking for permission takes too long.” His smile curved up. “Besides, you like kissing. Do I need permission to take something you want to give me?”  
She narrowed her gaze. “I’m not sure.”  
He took her fully in his arms and his mouth was on hers, his lips nudging hers to part. His tongue was a gentle invader, slipping into her mouth and tangling with hers, rubbing its rougher texture over her silkier one. He held her there, tasting, exploring, suckling while the breeze ruffled the leaves and made the flowers sway and whisper. His hand cupped her breast and she sighed at the twin sensations. She wished he’d use that tongue, that mouth on her breasts. Oh, hell, she wished he’d use them everywhere on her body.  
She was hot and dizzy when he finally let go and kissed her forehead. “See? You like kissing.”  
Oh, yes, she did. Especially kissing Frell.  
He wound his hand in hers once again and they strolled along the walkways. Bethany stopped often to snap vids with her com. Here and there, Frell took pictures, too. She looked at him quizzically.  
“Colors. Colors and textures,” he said, almost apologetically. “My stock in trade.”  
She nodded. “I know what you mean. I have a huge collection of vids, cross-referenced by color, as well as name. When I plan a garden, I use them to see what shapes and what shades will go well with each other. Even their motions in the wind and rain.”  
“You are an artist.”  
She shrugged. “I think of myself as more of a craftsman. But I want to do some new things with gardens. Something more than simple beds and fountains. I’m not sure exactly how I’ll do it, but I feel like it’s in me, you know?”  
He touched her hair. “I do know. It’s like there’s something deep within me that’s always looking to be expressed, but there are no words for it and I don’t even know what it might look like.”  
“Yes!” She kissed his cheek. “I knew you’d understand. It’s why I’m so happy to be here, to see what others are doing and perhaps find inspiration.”  
They traversed the garden until the noon sun grew too hot to tolerate. At least, for Bethany, it was too hot. Frell’s Kalquorian system seemed unfazed.  
“I made reservations for us to have lunch in the old city,” he told her as they headed for the gates. “It will be cooler there, I promise.”  
As the shuttle neared Minishan, Bethany gazed with wonder at the ancient stronghold of the Plasian ancestors. The hanging gardens alone were breathtaking, some of them extending a mile along the route into the center of the city. Graceful columns supported the cascades of blooms and tendrils of vines and ferns spilled over and among the flowers. The city proper, with its low buildings punctuated by tall spires was as different from the capital as the desert was from the ocean. Mount Thill, a long-dormant volcano, shaded Minishan, making it cool and even mossy in places. By contrast, the capital city was bright and airy and open. Bethany had never seen anyplace like this.  
Frell turned her chin and smiled into her eyes. “I love how excited you are by beauty. What a happy heart you must have, Matara.”  
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, taking the lead this time and plunging her tongue into the warmth of his mouth. He growled and pulled her closer, his tongue answering hers with strength and skill. His hand slipped under the front of her sundress and she began to melt as he caressed her tenderly.  
She pulled back, her breath coming fast. He gave the auto-shuttle instructions to circle the city, slowly. He didn’t remove his hand from her breast. Instead, he took her nipple between two of his fingers and began to rub and tease it into hardness.  
“Frell,” she whispered, her eyes closing.  
With his free hand, he plucked at the bow that tied one strap of her dress. The strap fell free and he lowered the fabric so her breast was bared. His head came down and his rough, wet tongue lapped at the nipple, while his other hand continued to caress. She gasped and arched up, darts of excitement streaking toward her core. She raised a hand and caressed the satiny waves of his hair.  
This was delicious decadence. And what was more, she hadn’t had any wine and he hadn’t bitten her. What she felt was hers and she could participate as much as she wished. Freedom.  
They were sailing over the trees and spires of Minishan, one of the most beautiful cities on Plasius, while one of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen was treating her body like a feast. His hand moved to pluck the other bow and down went the whole of her bodice, so she was naked from the waist up. He leaned back to look at her.  
“Ah, pretty Bethany.” He touched one of her nipples with a fingertip. “These change from pink to rose when I kiss them. And your lips change from rose to cherry.” He laid a hand over her heart. She knew it was racing. “So responsive. You’re like someone out of a dream.”  
He held her chin and kissed her sweetly, then scooped her up and sat her in his lap. She startled at the huge bulge she felt under her bottom, but he only laughed.  
“You make me respond, too.” He bent her over his arm and lowered his mouth to her breast once again.


	7. Chapter Seven

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter Seven

Bethany writhed against Frell as he sucked, hard, drawing a whimper of desire from her lips. He answered by smoothing his hand over her skirt then slipping beneath to stroke her thigh.   
She had long since given up any protests she might have had about being in public, or that they hadn’t known each other long enough or that she wasn’t sure this was a good idea. He had stolen in under her defenses and was rapidly dismantling every one of them with his clever artist’s hands.   
He leaned her over even further and settled her against the far side of the padded shuttle seat. She went like a lamb as the hand beneath her dress caressed the already excited flesh between her legs. He moved to the other breast as his fingers twitched aside the small barrier of her panties and began to stroke.   
He gave a long sigh and leaned his head on her shoulder. “So wet already, lovely girl. Such warm honey on such a soft, soft place.”  
“Frell, that’s so nice.” She moaned as he rubbed up and down her labia. She thrust her pelvis up, begging his hand for more.   
His answer was to tug off her panties and begin to pet her in earnest. His skillful touch set off little explosions in her as he skirted the entry to her sheath and played in the ruffled flesh that surrounded her clit. She could only recall one time when she’d been touched with such skill and intention. She batted aside that recollection. She wanted to focus only on Frell.   
He sank a finger into her sheath and growled as she clenched down on it, so delighted to feel him slicking in and out. His mouth never left off his attentions to her breast and she was beginning to pant with need.  
He added another finger, helping to soothe some of her need by filling her. Two of his fingers were almost as big as an Earther male’s penis, when erect. His own cocks were pressed against her hip and he felt substantially larger than his fingers. She writhed in his hold.   
“Patience, Matara,” he murmured at her breast. He nipped at her and she jolted.  
Was he kidding? She was starting to catch fire. She whimpered as he pumped her, rubbing the walls of her sheath with luscious friction. She was torn. She wanted this to go on for hours yet she was already aching to come. Which would win out? How had he brought her so quickly to this point?  
Frell slipped a finger from inside her and found her clit with unerring accuracy. He plied the little hood with light strokes. She felt herself swell and tingle. Gently, lightly, he began circle around the emerging nub and she sighed, biting her lips.  
He suckled at her breast and she cried out. She dug her nails into his shoulder. He turned his hand so that his palm was against the opening of her sheath. He used his thumb on her clit while he slid another finger into her vagina.   
“Oh, God,” she groaned. She was stretched so full she felt like she might burst. He pumped her and she jerked with a soft shriek.   
“Is that good?” he asked, looking up at her. “Or bad?”  
“G-good. You found my G-spot. It’s…” She swallowed against another wave of intense pleasure as he stroked in and out, scraping over that so-sensitive knot of nerves. “It’s…” The rest of her thought came out as a long, keening moan.   
“G is for good spot,” she heard him mutter. “Pretty Bethany, would you like to come?”  
She managed another groan. He laughed softly. “Silly question. Here, sweetest.”  
He rubbed her sheath perfectly, he pressed her clitoris, he suckled her breast. She came so hard she couldn’t even move at first. She hung, frozen, in his arms. Then, she heaved and shuddered as huge waves of pleasure caught her and dragged her under. She cried out, over and over, until the last throbs were subsiding and she was able to catch a breath.   
Frell eased her back up into his arms and held her, stroking her hair and kissing her temple. “Beautiful girl,” he crooned. “That was so beautiful.”  
She scrubbed her face against his chest. “Oh my God, Frell. You destroyed me.”  
His laugh rumbled in his chest. “I hope not. There’s so much more I want to do with you, sweet one.”  
She peered out and saw they were circling the city. “How long were we―”  
“I told the shuttle to go around again. I was having too much fun to stop.”  
She blinked. “I didn’t even hear you.”  
“You were preoccupied.” His eyes danced with mischief.  
She kissed him, hard. “That was amazing.”   
He cuddled her to him. “I couldn’t be more pleased.” He patted her shoulder. “But we’ll be arriving at the restaurant soon.”  
She giggled and squirmed as he helped her slip on her panties and tie up her dress. She pulled a comb from her bag and ran it through the mess they’d made of her hair. Frell was shifting in place and she realized he was trying to ease the bulk of his erections.   
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, her forehead furrowing. “I wish I could help but it’s―”  
“It’s all right.” He let out a deep breath. “Just don’t look at me for a moment or two. Or touch me. Or talk to me.”  
She bit back another giggle and turned away to watch as they touched down and entered Minishan. They walked the short distance to the restaurant. The city streets were hung with vines and she saw shops and restaurants and small businesses behind lovely, ornate doors and beveled glass windows. They reminded her of the Art Nouveau buildings she’d seen in the European Sector on Earth. The emphasis on graceful, natural forms was everywhere. Delicately made clockwork carriages rolled quietly past on the street. It was completely charming.  
They came to a vine-hung street cafe. She heard Frell sigh and she looked to see him give her a strained smile. Was he really still suffering an erection? Not that Plasians would care, she thought as they went into the cafe. Erections were expected and admired, even in public. Even with his clothes on, a Kalquorian’s erections were something to behold.   
Her body was still humming and buzzing in the aftermath of her orgasm. As they took their seats, she was glad for the soft cushions against her sensitized flesh.   
They ordered and their server brought them cool drinks. Bethany took a long sip of hers and sighed. Suddenly, what she had just done came over her. She colored up and stared down into her lap.  
“Bethany.”  
She looked up. Frell’s brows were drawn.   
“Are you regretting?”  
She thought for a long moment. What did she have to regret? Yes, it might have been a little sudden, a little early, but she was a free, adult woman who was enjoying a very nice man. She was a Plasian, now, she told herself. Not an Earther.  
She smiled and shook her head. “No. Not at all. It’s just that what we just did was very intimate for two people who don’t know each other very well.”  
“Ah, but now I know you even better.” He grinned and leaned forward. “I learned where and how you like to be touched. I want to know even more.”  
“Well, I’m starved,” she said pertly. “Let’s eat before we do any more studies.”  
They had a leisurely lunch. Frell fed her bits of food with his fingers, which made her self-conscious.   
“It is very normal for Kalquorian men. We love to feed our women as if they are queens.”  
“I’m pretty sure queens know how to use a fork.”  
“Doesn’t matter. We feed the woman.”   
His tone was firm. She decided it was best not to quibble over it. Besides, he stroked her lips with his fingers after each bite and his touch was gently erotic. What else did he have in store for her?  
They visited the botanical gardens in the old park and Bethany was again in raptures over the many types of flora she’d never seen before. She caught Frell gazing at her, a half-smile on his face. She colored up.  
“What? Am I being too much of a plant-geek?”   
“I don’t know plant-geek. But if it means you are like a mariposa then I’m all in favor of your being a plant-geek.”  
“Mariposa?” She smiled. “That’s an Earther word. It means butterfly in Spanish.”  
He nodded. “I don’t understand how an insect can cause butter to fly. Mariposa sounds prettier for a pretty girl.”  
“Aw, shucks. You’re going to turn my head, you old flatterer.”  
His look was utter bewilderment. She chuckled and kissed his cheek. She tucked her hand in his arm and they walked on.   “To turn a girl’s head is to appeal to her vanity. Make her feel so proud she looks away from the truth in front of her.”  
He shook his head. “You are pretty. That is truth.”  
She laughed. “Thank you. I certainly feel that way when you look at me. But if I believe I’m prettier than I really am, I might get so caught up in thinking about my devastating beauty that I won’t watch out where I’m going and I could make a big mistake. As they also used to say on Earth, pride goes before a fall.”  
“All right. But why does that make me an elderly flattener? Did I make you fall down and go flat when I turned your head?”  
She burst into giggles. “Old flatterer, not flattener. It’s just a saying, that’s all. My Gran had a million of those expressions. I was just saying that you praise me more than I deserve.”   
“Not possible.” He hugged her close to his side. “You are a beautiful mariposa, going from flower to flower. I’d love to paint you among the flowers.”  
She blinked. He was serious. Now her cheeks went hot. No one had ever paid her such an extravagant compliment.   
She stopped and took his face in her hands. “You are turning my head.” She kissed him. “I can hardly get my breath when I’m around you.”  
The light in his purple eyes danced. “Good.”  
She shivered and his eyes darkened with obvious lust. He pulled her behind a giant fern and kissed her until she wasn’t merely breathless, she was damp and moaning into his mouth. He let her go and studied her face.   
“I want you, pretty girl. I don’t think I can wait much longer.” His hand stole up under her dress and played with the edges of her panties. “I feel how warm you are. I can hardly think for the luscious scent of your arousal.” Those questing fingers slipped under the silk and stroked right through her folds. She gasped and stiffened in his embrace. “I can feel your soft flesh getting puffy and eager for me, just from kissing. I’ve tasted you on my fingers. I want to put my mouth on the soft, pink flesh of your pussy and make your honey flow onto my tongue.”  
His heated whispers made her knees weak. No one had ever spoken to her in such an explicit way. He certainly didn’t beat around the bush. She almost groaned at what he might make of that particular Earther expression.   
Frell pulled her closer and kissed her again, his tongue slipping in to stroke at hers in heated demand. She managed to pull away, gasping.   
“Just...I...just not here, yes?”  
His grin was utterly wicked. “Why? Will we shock the Plasians?”  
She snickered. “Not possible, but we might shock the plants.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I want you, too, Frell. I want you all to myself in my bed.”  
“You’re ready to go home?” His other hand rubbed at her bottom. She had to bite her lip to keep from letting out a gusting sigh.   
“Yes, please.”  
They were in a shuttle out of the city in a matter of moments. Frell kept her tight to his side as they traveled on the transport. Whenever he could, he took advantage of their proximity to steal naughty, arousing touches under scant cover from the eyes of their fellow passengers. Bethany was squirming on the seat by the time they landed in the capital, and heated to the core. He tugged her into a local shuttle and kissed her insane as they sped to her place. He had her panties off before they reached her street. The man was avid, exciting, and incorrigibly lusty. He grinned impishly as he stuffed the little scrap of moist silk into his pocket.   
He pinned her against a wall the second her door closed behind them. His kiss was demanding, hot, and he stroked her everywhere he could reach, murmuring.   
“Lovely Matara. You feel so sweet and tender. My cocks are going to go crazy the moment they slide inside your hot little body.”  
She giggled. “I hope they do.”  
He began to knead her breasts with both his big hands. “I hope they don’t. I want to enjoy you for a long time before they get their wishes. I plan to make you come and come again, lovely girl.”  
She shivered at the devout way he made this erotic promise. He pushed his body against hers and she reveled in his heat and strength.   
He shoved her skirt up around her waist and ground himself against her. She felt his very hard erections pressing into her abdomen and softly bit his neck. He growled and reached between them to open his pants. His heated lengths sprang free and he matched them to her own feminine parts with a slick glide.   
“I’m going to enter you now, Bethany. Are you ready, sweetness?”  
“Yess.” She sighed and buried her face in his shoulder.   
He paused. “You know Kalquorian males are different from Earthers, yes?”  
She nodded, then looked up to meet his beautiful eyes, eyes that watched her with careful attention and concern. She nodded again. “You have two cocks. And lubrication.”  
“You know where they are meant to go?”   
His look was suddenly anxious. He was afraid she was going to go Earther on him. No chance of that. She was dying for this man.  
“I do.” She put a hand to his cheek. “And I want them there.”  
It was his turn to bury his face in her neck. “Darling girl. You are something out of a dream.” He kissed her gently. “I will be careful with you, sweet Matara.”  
He lifted her, his big hands under her bare bottom. “Wrap your legs around my waist. I will move you.”  
She obeyed, bracing her back against the wall and twining him with her legs. He was so well-muscled and firm, it was like being wrapped around a living tree. The scent of cinnamon rose around them and she knew he was eager, too.   
Slowly, carefully, he lowered her down onto himself, his larger cock pushing into her sheath with slick, hard heat. She tensed for a moment as she realized how big he was. He paused and waited, kissing her and murmuring soft, erotic words into her ear. She relaxed and he slid her further down, just as his smaller cock began to enter her rear passage. She took a long breath and let it out slowly. She had forgotten the stretch required to take something in that tight channel.   
“It’s all right, sweet. Relax into me. Let me in.”   
His progress into her was slow, and careful, but inexorable. He was filling her so full she panted where her cheek was pressed to his shoulder.   
“Ahhh.” She felt his groin meet hers fully and rejoiced in his groan of pleasure. She ached, she was uncomfortable, yes, but also so excited she would have howled if he backed off now. She was seated on him, his hands supporting her from below, his big body pressing hers securely against the wall.   
“By all the ancestors, you are so heavenly tight, little one. And so warm and soft, at the same time.”  
“Your cocks haven’t gone crazy,” she whispered with a little laugh.   
“Not for lack of desire. They’re howling at me to fuck you so hard my head will fly off. I’m fighting for control.” His voice was ragged. He pulled back to look at her. “You are all right, my Bethany?”  
She smiled and nodded. “You’re awfully big, though. Can you give me time to adjust?”  
“All you need. My cocks are eager but they are grownups. They can be patient.”  
She giggled. “Good to know.”  
“Your compliment on their size may have turned their heads, though.” His grin was back. “But I think they’re looking in exactly the right direction.”  
She laughed out loud, jostling him inside her deliciously. “Oh!”  
“Oh, yes.”  
He was all dark intent in a flash. “Hold on, lovely girl.”


	8. Eight

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter 8

Frell began to move her up and down on his iron-hardness, the slickness of their combined juices easing the discomfort for her, allowing her to relax still more. She felt a thrill as he pulled her down snugly and pushed against her, rubbing her clit with his hard flesh. Her eyes fluttered closed and she moaned with delight.   
She had a moment’s awareness that they were both almost fully dressed, just inside her apartment door, and fucking, gloriously, up against a wall. She’d never done anything like this before and yet it felt so wickedly right, she moaned again and rubbed herself harder against Frell’s invading flesh. The ache in her behind was an insistent throb but she didn’t care. It seemed to feed her desire for him, her desire to be taken and controlled as he was doing now. There was heady freedom in every motion, every touch.   
He kept her pinned but pulled a hand free to slip inside her dress and fondle her breast. He growled his enjoyment as he plucked the bow at her shoulder and let the bodice fall, making her naked breast available to his touch.  
“Soft. Like velvet.” His fingers found her nipple and closed over it, rolling it to hardness, sending quivers through her abdomen, into her groin. She felt her pussy clutch at him and he chuckled, darkly.   
“I’m learning more and more. So hot and tight, your sweet little cunt. And what happens when I do this?” His fingertips clamped down on her engorged nipple and she cried out, her sheath spasming around him in potent pleasure.   
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” He growled. “Again.” His fingers pinched her tender flesh once more and she drew up in mad ecstasy, yelping.   
He put his hand behind her head and pulled her to him, crushing his mouth on hers. She tasted his warm, spicy flavor, a flavor that spoke to her of male lust and heat. His tongue lashed around hers, tasting everything she had to give, plundering her for her flavor, too.   
He rose up and shoved hard against her. She was already hot, shaking, needy. Her hands clutched his shoulders and she bit her lip against his delightful assault. She lifted up as if she could relieve the pressure only to have his cock stroke against that maddeningly sensitive spot in the front of her pussy. She gasped and shook.   
Frell nipped at her throat. “What was that, my lovely one? Let’s try that again.”  
He pushed her up and angled himself just right. She yelled out at the pleasure that was almost too much. “No!”   
“Oh, yes, again, sweetness. That seems like the perfect spot. I like finding your Good Spot.”   
He rubbed her up and down, scraping himself against her, forcing contact with the place that drove her higher and higher. To her shock, he snarled like a wolf and slammed harder against her, rutting and forcing her to still greater heights.   
“Oh, God, Frell! I can’t—”  
He covered her mouth with his, sealing tight, not allowing her to shout her erotic anguish and at the same time stealing her breath. Her climax was looming, towering and huge. She was frantic to move but he kept control over them both, setting the pace, demanding authority over the intensity of their contact. He shoved upward, making her clit throb as well as that spot in the front of her sheath. She was moaning and begging, wordlessly, against his mouth. She wasn’t going to survive if he kept this up—  
Then it was on her. She screamed against Frell’s mouth as her whole body convulsed and drew in on itself, only to arch out, so that she shoved against his rock-hard body with all her strength. She felt herself pulsing around him, clamping down so hard she heard him snarl again with the sensation of her grip. Aching, throbbing delight seized her, buffeted her, took her to heights she’d never before imagined.   
And when it was done, the beautiful alien who held her so tightly drew back and shoved into her so forcibly, hit her sweet spot so perfectly, she screamed and came again, sobbing and crying out, her nails digging into his shoulders as if they were her last hope of survival against the onslaught of pleasure. Then, he did it again. Just as he’d promised.  
She sagged in his arms at long last, spent, breathing raggedly and still reeling from the exquisite ecstasy. She came to consciousness as he pressed soft kisses all over her face, her temples, her throat. He murmured praise into her ear and nuzzled his cheek to hers. He was still very, very hard inside her.   
“I had no idea, little one. No idea it would be so beautiful when you came. I didn’t want you to stop.”  
She panted. “I don’t think I could have survived another climax. Oh, my God, that was...Frell, that was so good!”  
Her head dropped to his shoulder once more. He heaved a great sigh. “You give me tremendous pleasure, beautiful Bethany. I have never felt anything more blissful than being buried deep inside you like this. You are hot and wet and you grip my cocks like you were made for me.”  
“I’m glad.”  
“Ready for more, pet?”  
She kissed him softly. “I want you to come.”  
“How do you want me to come? Tell me.”  
She laid her cheek against his, coloring a little at her boldness. “I want you to come hard,” she whispered. “And high, so high up inside me. I want your cocks to lose their minds.”  
“Bethany!”  
His groan was loud and long as he shoved up into her once again. She shrieked at the sensation, half-pain, half-pleasure and his groan transformed into a low, feral roar.   
“Here, sweet pet.” He slammed into her. “Here’s hard.” He pulled down on her hips, shoving himself still further into her depths. “Here’s high.”   
She gasped and clung to him as he repeated his actions, his heated words.   
“Hard. High.”  
Oh, God, she was going to come again! It couldn’t be possible!   
With a wail, her body convulsed and shook as she screamed out her release. Frell gave a snarling roar just as she began to come down. She felt his cocks pulsing inside her, high and hard, just as she’d asked. She bit into his shoulder in her frantic delight, his arms crushing her to his heaving chest.  
She had no idea how long it took before either of them could speak, but at last, Frell lifted his head to kiss her, lingeringly. He lifted his hands to frame her face, his purple gaze changed from wild to tender. He murmured soft praises in his own language, punctuating them with small kisses. “Lovely one, thank you.”  
She smiled. “No need to thank me. We both had a wonderful time, yes?”  
He hugged her. “I hope so. Darling girl, that was the first time I’ve ever made love with an Earther. I’m so happy it was with you.”  
“Aww.” She grinned and kissed him. “You’re sweet.”  
He snorted. “If that’s what you think, I haven’t done this right.”  
Her eyes went wide. “What do you mean?”  
His expression went from tender to wicked in an instant. The man was the definition of mercurial. “Let me show you.”  
“Wait.”  
“Is there something wrong? Are you all right?”  
She gave a wry smile. “I’m famished.”  
Frell winced. “I didn’t feed you evening meal. I am so sorry, Bethany.” He hugged her close. “Show me to your kitchen.”  
“Oh, no, you don’t have to—”  
But he was already lifting her gently off him, setting her feet on the floor. “This way?” He pointed to the left.  
“Other way.”  
A short time later, he’d washed up, raided her pantry and fridge and whipped up an amazing meal with the just the few ingredients she had on hand. Once again, he insisted on feeding her by hand.  
“You’re a man of many talents.” She grinned at him between bites. “I never knew any Earther males who could cook like this.”  
“I live in a world where males have to do these things. There are plenty of us who burn water and drown bread, but if we want to eat decent food, we learn to cook.”   
“And do you have a female on Kalquor? One you feed this way?”  
His smile was broad. “Again, you are my first to feed like this. Today was a special treat for me in many ways.”  
Something fluttered around her heart. This man was such a mix of sophistication, wickedness, capability, and disarming enthusiasm. She felt she might be with him for months—maybe longer—before she saw all his facets.   
She winced, inwardly. Was she in danger here? She’d been betrayed by a Kalquorian before, after all. She sought to cover her serious thoughts.   
“It’s a night of firsts for both of us, I guess. I’ve never been to Minishan. Never made love against a wall. I’ve never had an alien cook me a veggie burrito.”  
“Burrito? Little mule?”  
“Little donkey.”  
He frowned as he examined the crepe he’d whipped up. “You said no meat.”  
She giggled. “Earthers don’t eat donkeys. At least none I knew. Burrito is just what it’s called.”  
He grinned, delighted. “I made my first burrito!” He looked down at the plate. “Enough, sweet one?”  
She nodded. “Plenty. Thank you.”  
He had the dishes cleared away in a blink. Then he was taking her hand and tugging her toward the hall. “You said you wanted me all to yourself, in your bed. We didn’t make it that far the first time. Let me make it up to you.”  
His com unit buzzed. He sighed and apologized profusely. He checked it, scowling. “That was a reminder. I have to be up early tomorrow to meet some of the people who are helping me build my sculpture in the park.”  
He looked miserable. If this was a ploy to duck out on her, he was one of the greatest actors of his generation. He gathered her into his arms.   
“Sweetest, I have so much more I want to do with you. I haven’t even seen your lovely body naked. Haven’t tasted you. Haven’t watched you sleep.” He kissed her softly. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He held her away from him. His beautiful eyes looked worried. “That is, if you want me to.”  
She nodded. “I’ll take a raincheck.”  
He stared at her blankly. She giggled. “I mean, I do want to see you again.”  
He looked relieved. “Good. You will come to the unveiling, won’t you? I’ll send you an invitation tomorrow.”  
“I’d love that.”  
He kissed her about a dozen times before she scooted him out the door. “Go get rested and ready for your big night.”  
When he was gone, she sagged. It was late and she had been halfway across the continent and back, and spent the day surrounded by beauty. She’d also spent the day with the very affectionate and lusty Frell. She needed a tub and bed, herself. She fell asleep smiling, sated, and okay, a little sore. It was well worth it.   
She was rubbing her eyes and sipping coffee the next morning when the chime sounded at her cottage door. She padded over, barefoot, and peeked out the porthole. She opened the door to find Zan standing on her doorstep, his tiny smile greeting her astonished expression.   
“Good morning, Matara Bethany. Would you like to go sailing with me?”  
#  
Zan wore soft pants and a stretchy top and his ink-black hair was braided in a thick plait down his back. He looked down at her, hopeful and a little shy. This big guy? Shy? She almost giggled at the notion.  
“Sailing? On the lake?”  
He nodded. “I have permission to use a friend’s boat today. The wind is up and I packed us a lunch. Have you ever sailed?”  
She stepped back and motioned him inside. “No. At least not anything more than steering a little Sunfish around the lake at summer camp one year.”  
“I sail on the ocean, mostly.” He looked around at her apartment. “You have a very nice home, Bethany.”  
“Thank you.”  
“Will you come sailing?”  
She looked up at the giant Kalquorian. His eyes were watchful but there was nothing tricky or suspect in their expression. But how could she go out with Zan when the night before she’d slept with Frell?   
She saw Zan’s shy eagerness and something inside her softened. What could it hurt to go sailing? Besides, she had two more days off from work. She smiled.   
“Yes, I’d love to. Let me get changed.”  
Zan had a private shuttle and they were at the marina on Lake Lemurra in short order. He loaded his arms with some large bags and handed her the wicker picnic basket to carry. They found the boat and Zan’s eyes were bright as he helped her aboard.   
“Nice craft. She’ll move.”  
Bethany wasn’t sure what he meant by that but she was soon following his instructions, helping him to raise the main sail and cast off from the dock. He steered them into open water with ease and skill. He raised a second sail, then took the tiller at the stern of the boat. She came to sit beside him as the sails filled and the sleek craft heeled over and began to skim across the water.   
The sun on the water glittered and bright green birds whirled overhead. There were only one or two other boats on the lake, making it seem like they were flying across their own private world.   
She got up and explored the deck. Up near the bow of the boat was a shallow pit filled with pillows. Typically Plasian, she thought, to have an open-air bed onboard. The brightly painted sails cast a rose-coral glow over her as the sun shone through them. The air was crisp and fresh, despite the heat.   
Zan called out to her. “Would you like to steer?”   
She grimaced. “Are you sure? I’ve never handled a boat this big.”  
He beckoned. “It’s easy. There’s a steady wind and almost no one on the water. You couldn’t wreck us if you tried.”  
She laughed. “I’m not sure that makes me more confident.” She wound her way around the boom and came to sit next to Zan. He guided her hand onto the wheel.   
“First, just steer. Like an old Earther automotive.”  
She took hold of the wheel and peered around the sail, trying to see where she was going. He was right. There was nothing, no boats, swimmers or even a nearby shoreline to hit. She lightened her grip and smiled up at Zan.  
“Keep her aimed at that one point, way out there.” He nodded ahead.  
After a while, he took her hand and gave her the line to the boom. She chewed her lower lip but accepted the rope that allowed her to adjust the mainsail. Zan pushed the hand that held the line one way and the sail began to flatten and flutter.   
“Oh! We lost the wind!”  
“Not yet.” He pushed her hand in the opposite direction. “See? You just have to stick out your sail so you can find it.”  
The sail fattened and snapped to crisp attention once more. The boat heeled and returned to speed.   “Very good.” His deep voice was quietly admiring.   
He got up and walked to the steps going below decks. She gasped. “You’re not going to leave me alone!”  
“Yes. You’re doing fine. I’ll be right back.”  
He disappeared below before she could say another word. Oh, dear God, she was in charge of someone’s sailboat and she was a rank amateur! She had to―  
She looked around and saw that nothing had changed. They were still way out in open water, all alone on the lake. She looked at the sheet in her hand and the wheel in her other and shrugged.   
“Well, we’ll either sail or we’ll swim.”   
She grinned. This was actually pretty fun. She peered around, looking for the point and adjusted the tiller accordingly, aiming the bowsprit right for it. Zan was soon back at her side. He had a small bowl full of rexsennel fruit, cut into slices, its lime green skin looking juicy and bright in the sunlight. He offered her a bite but she shook her head, afraid to let go of the steering gear.  
He held the bite in front of her lips. “Open up.”  
She obeyed, smiling, remembering how Frell had fed her by hand. Zan popped the fruit into her mouth and she bit down. The sweet juice burst in her mouth, cooling and bright.   
“Mmm!”  
His tiny, soft smile appeared and disappeared at the sound of her pleasure. His smiles might be brief and rare, but when they flashed down at her, she found her insides shivered. Damn, he was attractive. Was feeding a Matara a new thing for him, too?  
He fed her some more pieces, then stood and took their bearings. “Head to port.” He pointed left. “There’s a nice cove around there where we can have lunch.”  
She carefully steered the boat closer to the shore and he added his hand from time to time, helping keep them on course and the sails filled. They came around the point and sailed into a narrower inlet. Off to either side, along the tree-lined banks, were the openings to two different coves. They made for the one on the right―starboard, she reminded herself―and the wind lightened as they entered the narrow passage.   
They came out into a beautiful curve of shoreline, the red-gold sands glittering like bits of polished glass below the surface. The tralia trees along the shore dipped their long cobalt leaves in the water and their huge, gold blossoms swayed ponderously in the light breeze. Zan let down the anchor and they lowered the sails, coming to rest on gentle swells.   
“This is lovely!” Bethany gazed all around them. “It’s so quiet and peaceful.”  
The midday sun was hot, though, and the rippling water looked so tempting. She hadn’t brought a bathing suit, she realized. She’d just have to get something cold to drink.   
Zan stood nearby, looking into the lake. He reached up and pulled off his shirt, then simply stripped away his shoes and pants. She almost gasped at the sheer immensity and power of his big body, the sunlight making shadows along the deep cuts of his abdominal muscles. He was utterly magnificent. He stepped up onto the gunwale and dove into the water, his long legs straight and clean as he cut into the lake. The boat rocked at anchor in reaction.   
She went to the side and sat on the gunwale, smiling as he popped up from below, shaking diamond-drops from his hair and face. He nodded to her.   
“Now you.”  
She shook her head. “I didn’t bring a suit.” She knew it sounded a little silly, seeing how he had just stood before her, stark naked, only seconds ago.   
He tread water, implacable. “Come in and cool off. There are no carnivorous fish in Lake Lemurra.”  
“Oh, good to know,” she said, laughing.   
“Don’t be shy. Your body is very beautiful. And the water is very clean. Not like the pond I shoved you into.”  
She laughed again. “I―Oh, all right.” It was getting to be blazing hot on deck. She took treatments for protecting her pale, redhead’s skin against sunburn, but she didn’t fancy getting heatstroke.   
She turned her back to him, for no sensible reason, and undressed. She left her clothes in the little cushioned area and went to the side. It was awkward to climb up on the gunwale and she blushed to know that her most intimate parts probably showed to the man who watched from below.   
She got her balance and curled her toes over the edge. She took a deep breath and dove out into the clear blue. She plunged deep and then shot up.   
“Holy sh—” she cried as she broke the surface again. “It’s cold!”  
Zan looked concerned. “Too cold?”  
She tread water for a moment. “No, but it looks so warm from above. Like a bathtub or a swimming pool. It’s so clear.”  
“Do you want to get out?”  
She shook her head. “No, I’m adjusting. Cool water’s better for swimming.”  
“You like to swim, Matara?”  
“Yes. I love it.”   
He pointed to a dock several yards away. “Race you!”  
“Oh, no! That’s about three strokes for you and a hundred for me. You’ll beat the pants off of me.”  
“Your pants are already off.”  
She looked and saw mischief and lust in his purple gaze. She felt her cheeks heat. “Yeah, well, you have to give me a handicap, all right?”  
His amusement disappeared. “You want me to harm you?” He looked alarmed.   
“No, no. A handicap means a head start. You let me start first because you can go faster.”  
“Head start. I like that better.” He nodded. “Ready?”  
“Ready. Go!”  
She set off for the dock, her muscles delighting in the remembered pleasure of a fast freestyle stroke, her body speeding through the water. She’d been on the swim-team in middle school, until girls were banned from the sport. The teachers said it was because it made them “too competitive” and showed off too much of their bodies, despite the horrid, bulky suits and leggings they were forced to wear. Here she was, racing and naked, blatantly flaunting those idiotic rules! She felt a surge of delicious freedom. She dug in, making fast for her destination.   
She was within a length of the dock when something huge and smooth slipped underneath her belly and slid over her breasts. She screeched and then flailed a bit as Zan appeared ahead of her, easily gaining the dock with economical strokes.   
“Oh, no fair! That was interfering with another swimmer!” She was laughing as she yelled.  
“I know.” His look was smug. “But you were in my way. And I wanted to feel your breasts.”  
She took on a mouthful of water and choked. “You―what?”  
“I wanted to touch you. Underwater. It was nice.” He looked worried. “Did I scare you?”  
“A little.” She huffed as she reached the dock and took hold of one rung of the ladder that hung over the side.   
“Good. Makes your eyes go bright.” His look was wicked once more. “I liked touching your breasts. And I won.”  
She shook her head, grinning. “You’re a stinker.”  
He reached out a long finger and flipped a lock of her hair back from her shoulder. “You’re a good swimmer. Strong and graceful.”  
“Thank you.” Her breath caught a little at his touch. “You’re not so bad yourself.”  
“Thank you. Come.” He tugged at her hand. “Come swim with me.”  
“H-how?”  
He rolled over on his stomach and held onto the dock. “Climb onto my back.”   
She gulped. “Are you sure?”  
He looked at her and his face was suddenly very serious. “I will never hurt you, Bethany. Or let anything bad happen to you. Ever.”  
She studied his solemn purple gaze and knew that he meant every word. She smiled and slipped over to grasp his shoulders.   
“Ready?” He put a hand back and gently pushed her hip so that she came up over his back. “Put your legs around me.”  
She gulped again. “I can hang on.”  
“I want to go fast. I don’t want you to fall off.”  
“All right.” Her voice sounded squeaky. The prospect of straddling him was heady.  
Tentatively, she spread her legs and brought them around his hips. He caught his hands under each of her knees and tugged her tighter against him. If she thought Frell had felt like a tree trunk, embracing Zan was like hugging a giant Sequoia.  
“Here we go.”   
He kicked off from the edge of the dock and he wasn’t kidding about going fast. He was only doing a modified breast stroke but he moved through the water like a huge, powerful fish, towing her along through the silky water like she was nothing.  
She began to laugh. “Wonderful!”   
She felt him chuckle and her mouth opened in an O. His deep voice had rumbled through his chest and vibrated right against the place where her bare sex rested on his back. It was a deliciously naughty thrill. Maybe she could make him laugh again?  
Oh, bad girl, Bethany. He’s not a pool toy. That thought made her laugh instead.  
He carried her along the shoreline for a long way, slowing now and then to point out a tree or a bird. He seemed to know a great deal about the plants and animals around the lake and she was delighted to learn about them all.   
Finally, he turned back toward the dock. He tugged on her hands. “Lie down. We’re going faster now.”  
She stretched out over his broad back, conscious that her naked breasts were pressed against his warm, rippling skin. He kissed one of her hands, and gently nibbled at one of her wrists. Then, “Deep breath, pretty girl. Hold on.”  
She just had time to realize what he was asking before he dove, taking her down deep as she clung to him. Despite her shock, she caught fantastic glimpses of gold and purple fish, small plants in the sand below, ripples of the sun-dappled water. Still, panic rose in her. Was he going to go up soon? He could hold his breath far longer than she, she guessed.  
His feet touched bottom. He flexed his knees and surged up, breaking the surface just before her air ran out. She gasped like a dying fish then shook herself all over, shivering. He chuckled.   
“Nice?” He turned his head to glimpse her face.   
“Wonderful! Oh my God, Zan, that scared the pee out of me but it was so amazing!”  
“You peed?” He shook with laughter even as he supported them both while treading water.   
“No, not really.” She giggled. “But you could give a girl a little more warning.”  
His hands squeezed her calves and stroked down to her ankles. “Where’s the fun in that?”  
She put her cheek next to his. “Can we go again?”  
“Deep breath!”  
She took a deeper gulp this time and was ready when he plunged them into the crystalline depths. He seemed able to travel with no effort whatever, skimming along the bottom, carrying her through sunbeams and tiny schools of fish. It was like riding on her very own dolphin!  
She clutched his neck as her air began to fail and he shoved up to the surface. She panted, laughing with delight, her head on his shoulder.  
“Again,” he said.   
And down they went, eeling around a plant here, a rock there. She wished she had a snorkel with her so she could stay down a little bit longer. But soon she gave him the signal and he sent them rocketing upward into the sunlight above. They dove a couple more times and then he said it was time to go in.   
She laid her head on his shoulder again as he stroked slowly along toward the boat. It was purely decadent to be carried like this, she thought. She couldn’t remember if anyone had ever carried her anywhere before. His skin was warm even after being in the cool water. It was smooth and the muscles beneath rippled delightfully against her cheek.  
He came alongside the ladder that reached down from the port side. “Up you go.”  
She grabbed on and climbed. She knew he was again below her, seeing every intimate part of her. She scrambled over the side and peeked out. He was watching her with avid interest and when he came up and over the ladder she saw that he was partly aroused.   
Holy mackerel, she thought. He was...real damn big. It was all she could think. And he was lovely. She had never been a woman who thought a man’s sexual organs were ugly. It was a thought she’d had to keep to herself when she was on Earth, of course, but now that she was on Plasius and free to look all she wanted, she had looked. And she had liked.   
Frell’s had been very, very nice. Zan’s were magnificent. But how could any Earther ever hope to...  
She looked up to see him watching her as he toweled himself off. She blushed hotly and looked away.   
What was the matter with her? She was turning into a sex-crazed nut. This was Frell’s best friend! What was she doing ogling his naked penises?  
“Hungry?”  
She gasped, startled. “What?”   
His look was bland. “Shall we have lunch?”  
“Oh. Oh, yes. Yes. That would be nice.”  
He went below decks. She noticed he didn’t make a move to get dressed. She grabbed her shirt and shorts and pulled them on, hastily. She needed to get a grip before she got into real trouble.   
Zan came back with the picnic basket. She gulped as he pulled out a blue bottle and two glasses. Oh, shit. “No.”   
He looked up in surprise. “I’m sorry?”  
“None of that. No leshella. No way.”  
He sat back on his haunches, studying her with his serious gaze. “You don’t like leshella, Bethany?”  
“No. No, I don’t. And if you think you’re going to get me to drink it you’d better start thinking again. You may be bigger than me but I’ll make your regret you ever―”  
“Matara.” His voice was quiet but alarmed. “Please. I don’t understand.”  
“I won’t drink that shit.” She felt choked, like she might weep at any second.   
He set down the bottle and glasses and sat back to look at her, frowning. “You are frightened. Why? You weren’t frightened before.”  
“I just don’t like what that stuff does. I don’t like what people do with it.”  
He lifted the bottle and pulled away the cold wrap. “It’s parinna fruit juice, Bethany. I thought we’d like something nice and cool.” He showed her the label.  
She colored up. “Oh. God, I’m sorry. I just made an idiot of myself, didn’t I?”  
He slipped down to the cushion beside her but he didn’t touch her. “Did someone give you leshella and hurt you, Bethany?”


	9. Chapter Nine

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter 9

She heard veiled anger under his deep voice and shivered. Zan was quiet but huge and quiet. Nobek and quiet. Nobeks were warriors, their fighting skills renowned and feared throughout the galaxy.  
“Please, Zan. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m sorry if I made it sound like I was upset with you.”  
“Are you sure?”  
She nodded. “I am. I’m okay. Just hungry and thirsty.” She dished out food while Zan poured drinks.  
“I loved diving with you,” she said, taking another bit of a tender meat she knew came from a Plasian bird not unlike a parrot. “The water’s so clear!”  
“I’m glad. I liked swimming with you. We have a pool where we’re staying but it’s not like swimming in real water.”  
“You said you do ocean-sailing on Kalquor? You live near the ocean?”  
“Yes. I dive there, as well. Our ocean is a deep green, like Earth’s emeralds. Our beaches are pink.”  
She smiled. “That sounds beautiful. On Earth, the ocean was mostly blue and green. Our sands are white and tan.”  
“I know.”  
“You’ve been to Earth?” Her heart fell. “Were you in the war?”  
He looked away. “I was there before Armageddon.”  
“You’re a soldier?”  
He took a sip of his juice. “No. I’m a pyro-specialist.”  
“Fireworks?” She blushed. “Oh, that was really dumb. It’s just that’s what I tend to think of when I hear pyro. Pyrotechnics. That, and pyromaniac,” she finished lamely.  
“Not dumb. I’m just a fireman.”  
“Just a fireman? She shifted on the cushions to face him. “I’m not sure that’s possible. On Earth, firemen are generally considered to be heroes.”   
He shrugged. “I fight fires. I investigate them. I look at ways to use fires. How to prevent them.”  
She tilted her head. “I think you’re too modest. That’s very dangerous work. You save lives and property. It’s important.”  
He looked down at his hands. “Thank you.”  
Honestly, did he really believe being a firefighter was no big deal? Or was he trying to use an ‘ah, shucks, ma’am’ routine on her?  
She decided to switch the subject. “How long have you known Frell?”   
His face brightened. “It will be four years soon. This is the first time he’s had an installation off Kalquor. It’s a very exciting time for him.”  
“I’m looking forward to seeing his sculpture. I’m kind of hoping that Israla will hire me to do some of the plantings around it in the park.”  
“I hope she does. You would like to plant flowers, yes?”  
“Yes. I love all flowers. Even the ugly ones.”  
His eyebrow went up. “There are ugly flowers?”  
“Oh, yes. I’ve been learning that some can look like slugs, some can be confused with dirt, and others are such hideous colors they hurt your eyes.”  
He smiled. “Never thought of flower-gardening as dangerous. Do you have a favorite flower, pretty girl?”  
She shook her head. “No. I could never make up my mind, there are so many to choose from and they’re special for so many different reasons.” She looked up at him shyly. “Do you have a favorite flower?”  
He nodded. “Onilya blossoms. They’re like your jasmine blossoms on Earth, but they’re turquoise blue.”  
“They sound beautiful. I haven’t studied the flora of Kalquor, but I’d like to. You have such a unique climate.”  
He fed her a piece of rexsennel. As soon as she swallowed, before she could say another word, he bent his head and kissed her.   
Oh. My. God.   
It was a dream of a first kiss. His lips were so soft and gentle they were like the breezes on the lake around them. Slowly, subtly, they changed and grew warmer and firmer and the kiss went on and on. He lingered there, tenderly parting her lips but not pushing her, not using his tongue. It was utterly sweet and still it went on. He put a hand to the back of her head and held her lightly, smoothing over her mouth and nibbling at her lips. She was mesmerized. Was this really a warrior Nobek, this patient lover?  
There was nothing hurried or urgent about this, but before long her heart was speeding, her insides were fluttering, her sex was growing damp. It was as if he had settled in and was intending to make this kiss last for the next hour or more, tasting and pressing as if he had nothing else in the world to do. As if he intended to get to know her lips as well as he knew his own.   
By the time Zan finally lifted his mouth from hers, she was almost dizzy. He gave her one of his small smiles and her insides flipped again. He touched her cheek, lightly.   
“Sweet. Just like I thought.”  
“That was very nice.” Her voice sounded husky and low.   
She was in so much trouble.  
She wanted more of those kisses.   
Soon.   
He smiled again and as if reading her thoughts, he bent his head and took her mouth once more. Easily, he lifted her up and set her on his lap, never breaking the kiss. She wound her arms around his neck and sighed.   
This kiss was even more spectacular. It was firmer, more demanding, but still slow and delicious. He didn’t touch her anywhere other than her mouth and she began to feel anxious, eager for his hands on her.   
He didn’t grant her wish. He just went on, his thorough kissing now heating her to a boil. When she was ready to whimper in demand, he began to softly, delicately, lick her lips with just the tip of his tongue. Her lips tickled and buzzed and she giggled against his mouth. He didn’t stop, just tasted her in every way. Then, firmly, smoothly, his tongue pushed between her lips and slipped inside.   
She tried to suck on the welcome invader, but he held her chin, tugging it down so she had to hold still. He was a Kalquorian all right, she thought. He was tender and slow and careful, but he was completely in charge. Nothing she could do would make him hurry, or make him allow her to hurry. Instead, he explored, stroking with his raw-silk roughness over her own slick tongue, exciting her even further, focusing her whole being on just her mouth.   
She moaned and wriggled in his lap. He put his other hand at her waist and held her still. She could feel how incredibly huge and hard he was beneath her but he didn’t seem to care. Zan wanted kissing and that was what he intended to have.   
When he finally withdrew, she was squirmingly hot, her sex was pulsing, her breasts were actually aching in need. She was stunned that he could do that to her with just a kiss. Just a kiss? Okay, so it wasn’t just a kiss. It was the best kiss she’d ever had. She laid her head on his shoulder and tried to get her breath.   
“Pretty girl, we need to start back.”  
“What?” She knew she must look as dazed as she felt.   
“I want to take you to dinner in the capital and we’re going to want to shower and change. You will have dinner with me, yes?”  
“Yes,” she said without thinking.   
“Good.”   
He set her off his lap and began putting away the food. She helped, trying to get her thoughts together but they had blown away in the thrill of sailing and diving and being kissed by the king of kissing. He dressed and took the tiller and she sat nearby, tending the mainsail.  
By the time they arrived at the marina it was an hour until the first of the Plasian suns set. They packed up the supplies and settled the boat in the dock and walked to Zan’s shuttle.   
They arrived at her cottage and he bowed to her as he helped her out. “I will pick you up in an hour.”   
“I’ll be ready.”   
As she showered and changed, she thought about the day so far. She had all but forgotten Frell, she was having so much fun with Zan. She felt a pang. Could she really go out again with Zan tonight? She had made love with Frell. She didn’t go to bed with anyone lightly. Ever. Her anger and hurt after the Anonymous Asshole Kalquorian had ditched her at Israla’s bore witness to that.   
She saw there was a com for her in the message area of her home-vid as she dried her hair. She clicked the remote and Frell’s gorgeous face appeared, beaming.   
“Beautiful Bethany! I told you I would call! I had a wonderful time with you last night and I want to see you again very soon. The installation is taking up all my time until day after tomorrow but I hope you will come to the gala unveiling. I’m sending an invitation to the event and to the reception afterward to you today. Hope you had sweet dreams, lovely girl. I will see you soon.”  
She hugged herself. He hadn’t ditched her. He had called.  
She checked her box and sure enough, there was an invitation for her. She danced inside as she opened it and saw her name engraved there.   
“I can’t wait.”  
She looked down at the brush in her hand and recalled she had a date for tonight. She giggled. “Oh, what the hell. I don’t have to sleep with Zan. We can just have a nice dinner and say goodnight.”  
Besides, she thought as she slipped into her dress, it wasn’t like she had made a commitment to either Frell or Zan. She didn’t want a commitment. She was always happier on her own.   
She answered the chimes a short while later and gasped as Zan presented her with a single, perfect, valerius stem. Seven green, butterfly-like flowers trembled along its length. The scent of something like sage and oranges rose from the blooms.   
“Oh, it’s perfect! And so different!” No bland bunch of hot-house roses from this man. Valerius flowers were rare. He was one of a kind, himself.   
“You look lovely, Matara.” He bent and kissed her softly.   
“Thank you. You look very nice, too. Let me put this in a vase and then I’ll be ready.” Her lips still tingled just from the memory of his kisses that afternoon. Oh, she was going to have to be very careful.  
They took a shuttle to the center of the market sector, where the open-air restaurants, the hanging plants and twinkling lights gave the center of the capital city an air that was both festive and romantic. Music poured from several clubs along the walk to the restaurant, small kiosks offered imported and exotic gifts, and lovers―always lovers on Plasius―strolled about or stole into shadowed areas to make love under the moon.   
Zan did indeed look very handsome in his simple black pants, his white silk shirt setting off his beautiful dark skin. His braid was bound at the end with a silver band and a tiny purple gem shone from one ear. His hand was at her back, guiding her through the throngs of people and though he dwarfed her, it didn’t feel awkward. She felt very feminine and protected with him. The warm evening breeze caressed her face and she felt as if her life had somehow just begun. It was a heady awareness, reminding her of how excited she’d been when she’d first arrived on Plasius.  
Dinner—or evening meal as Zan and Frell called it—was fabulous. Zan had secured a secluded table in one of the nicest restaurants Bethany had ever been in and he’d pre-ordered drinks and hors d’oeuvres. She smiled as he lifted a small blue morsel with his fingers and offered it to her. He seemed to really like feeding her by hand. She tasted his offering and coughed.   
“Wow! Salty!” She reached for her glass.   
“I’m sorry, little one. I hadn’t thought. It’s a fish we often have on Kalquor. Earthers must have more subtle palates.”  
She sipped her drink and then put it down, chuckling. “What a nice way to say we’re a bunch of sissies.”   
“I like a sissy girl. A girl who likes sweetness.” His tone was warm, his voice soft.   
She blushed. “I think you like to flatter sissy girls.”  
He nodded. “Yes.”  
She laughed outright at this. “You’re a big flirt.”  
“Do you like big flirts?”  
She winked. “Sometimes.”  
His face grew serious. “Are you all right?”  
“Yes, why?”  
“Your eye. It went blinking.”  
“Oh!” She laughed again. “I was winking at you. It’s an Earther thing. When we tease someone or flirt with them, we sometimes close one eye.”  
“Hmm. I’ve never seen that. Let me try.”  
He dropped one eyelid, squinting. She giggled. “It kind of looks like you’re taking aim down a gun-sight. Or maybe you’re a pirate.”  
“Not flirting?” He looked crestfallen.  
“It was cute,” she said reassuringly, although cute was hardly a word that would ordinarily come to mind when looking at this huge, handsome man. His dark looks, his powerful body, and his serious demeanor were a far cry from cute. His attempt to wink was adorable, but his dangerous, Nobek nature still showed through in the result.   
“I will give you something not so salty.”  
This time, the bit he offered her was tender and warm, and tasted like some sort of buttery chicken. She smiled. “Delicious.”  
He looked much happier. He chose another bit of the same meat for her and this time, his fingers lingered on her lips after she’d taken the bite. She went still. His eyes were warm and she swallowed, hard.   
Frell had been direct and playful and openly sexy, she thought. Zan was very different but his effect on her libido was every bit as powerful. Where Frell charmed, Zan tantalized. Where Frell had stroked and petted and teased her body almost from the first, Zan kept everything to a minimum and still managed to cause her to warm and tingle and breathe faster.   
She took up a bit of the salty blue fish and offered it to Zan. To her shock, he drew back abruptly, looking decidedly uncomfortable.   
“I’m sorry. Really, my hands are clean.” She tried for a weak joke. Failed.  
He dipped his head. “I’m sorry, Matara.” His look was an odd mixture of stern pride and embarrassment. “It’s not for females to feed males.”  
“Oh. I didn’t know that.”  
He touched her cheek. “I know. It’s just something ingrained in us. To feed a Matara is a gesture of respect and affection. But only from male to female.”  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”  
He kissed her again, lingeringly. “Don’t apologize, pretty girl. As I said, it was an ingrained response. You were sweet to want to share with me.”  
“Why do you call me a Matara?” She shifted closer to him.   
He put his arm around her waist and snugged her against him on the bench. He was so warm and solid she wanted to sigh.  
“Matara means woman. Child-bearer. Life-bringer.” He looked down at her with his large, calm eyes.   
“Matara seems very formal. Like calling me ma’am in English. And I’m not a mother.”  
“It is also to show respect and affection for a woman. Matara is a meaningful word.” He offered her another bite to eat. “What should I call you?”  
“Anything you like. How about Rat Face?” She took the morsel.  
He choked. “Rat Face?”   
She giggled at his horrified look. “Gotcha.” She waved a hand. “It was just something a friend of mine and I used to call each other when we were kids.”  
“A friend called you this?”  
“Yeah, awful, right? But it was self-defense. We were both kind of oddballs.” She caught his mystified look. “We weren’t like the other kids. We called each other Rat Face so that the other mean names kids called us didn’t hurt as much.”  
“Your face is nothing like a rat,” he rumbled darkly.   
“Thank you. It’s good to know you think so.” She shrugged. “We were kids, what can I say? Kids do weird stuff to cope with life. It was our way of fighting back.”  
He tightened his hold on her waist. “You were strong to fight back. But no Rat Face.”   
“Okay.” She patted his thigh. “But really, if you want to call me Matara, that’s all right. It’s just that I always thought Matara was more like Wife.”  
He gave her a sudden look that was so filled with yearning she almost gasped. It vanished in an instant and was replaced by a tiny smile.   
“I like to call you pretty girl. Sweet names. You’re a sweet woman.”  
Holy hell, she was melting. This man had no smoothness, no slickness but his words went straight into her like darts headed straight for her heart. And some other very sensitive locations.   
Their server returned and they ordered. Several small dishes arrived and they shared, including one dish that Zan cooked over a blue-hot flame in the center of the table. She watched him toss the mixture of colorful vegetables and fruits in a basket over the heat. “More of your pyro-specialty?”   
“Yes. Burning food is one of my best things.” He fed her a piece that had cooled enough to eat.  
“Mmm, this is wonderful. You can burn stuff for me anytime.”  
“I plan to.”  
She went still. Did he mean that?   
He poured some wine, then offered her the bottle to inspect. “Not leshella, sweet one.”  
She smiled. “Thank you. I didn’t think it was. You wouldn’t do anything like that.”  
“Like what?” He set the bottle aside and handed her a glass. His eyes were suddenly keen.   
“Oh, Zan.” She sighed. “You don’t want to hear about it. It’s all over and in the past and that’s it.”  
“I hope so. Bad enough someone called you Rat Face.”   
She stretched up and kissed his cheek. “You’re a doll, you know that?”  
“No.” He looked wary.  
She grinned. “Okay, not a doll so much. But you’re a very good person.”  
He pulled her tighter. His mouth was very close. “You think I’m good?”  
She gulped. “Well, y-yes.”  
“I’d like to be better.”   
His mouth sank onto hers.  
He bent her back, tilting her toward the seat of the bench, holding her helpless against his chest. His hand tangled in her hair and held her still so he could take her mouth with ruthless, delightful attention.   
Bethany was only barely conscious that they were in a public place and that she was halfway under him, halfway to lying beneath him. If she had thought Zan was some upright Boy Scout, he was demolishing that notion right then and there. Moisture began to form in her most intimate places and she clutched his shirt with one hand while bracing herself with the other. His tongue stroked and teased, his teeth scraped along her tongue, he suckled at it in a way that made her moan. She was trembling in his hold, unsure she could hold herself up much longer, when he finally let her go and pulled her upright once more.   
“Good?” His look was probing. “Or better?”  
“Both.” She blinked at him, stunned.   
He stroked her hair and smiled. “I’ll keep working.”  
If he hadn’t been holding her, she was sure she would have slithered off the bench into a heap on the floor. She felt like he’d turned up that blue flame under her, and she was sizzling hot. She grabbed her wine and drank deeply.   
The server approached not long after with a dish of parinna fruit granita. She was grateful to accept spoonfuls of the cold, slightly crunchy dessert that Zan fed her. She felt like she was finally under control again by the time they left the restaurant.   
“Shall we walk?”  
She nodded. “Yes. It’s so pretty out. I’ve only been here at night once before.”  
He wrapped his arm about her waist and they strolled the plaza, looking at the wares for sale, admiring the crafts and art work on display. She asked him about Kalquor and he told her about the tradition of stonework his family had shared.   
“Lots of mountains on your world, I know. You even live in the mountains, don’t you?”  
“Yes. In big dark caves. We wear only animal skins. Drag our women around by the hair.”  
She bumped him with her hip. “Big liar. Your clothes are silk, buddy, and I’ve seen vids of homes in the mountains of Kalquor. Israla’s palace is a hovel compared to some of them.”  
“But wouldn’t you rather we lived in caves? I thought Earther history had stories about mighty hunters who guarded their mates with clubs.”  
She snorted. “Earther males are primitive enough now. No thanks.”  
“Who said anything about Earther males?”  
She looked up and saw mischief in his eyes. “Smart guy.”  
“Gotcha.”  
He pulled her close and waltzed her backward into a dim alcove near one of the many fountains on the plaza. He pressed her to a wall and stared down into her eyes. “Let me make it better again.”  
Before she could draw breath, he was kissing her with his usual thoroughness. But this time, his big hands covered her breasts and began to gently stroke. She sighed into his mouth and he gave a soft, warm laugh.   
He eased the straps of her yellow sundress off her shoulders and tugged until she was uncovered. She wasn’t wearing a bra under the light fabric; her breasts were so small she never felt the need. She’d rather be cool.   
Zan was not cooling her. He drew back and looked at her bare breasts as if he hadn’t seen them just this afternoon.  
“So lovely, sweet girl.” He raised his hands to stroke them again. “Soft as clouds.”  
She tilted her head back against the wall, closing her eyes as he caressed her. “Zan.”  
He kissed her again and between the heat of his lips and the heat of his hands she was getting that blue-flame feeling once again. His big body sheltered her completely from any prying eyes and added to the warmth of his touch.   
Oh, yes, this was getting better.  
He drew back at long last and pulled her straps back up over her shoulders, covering her. He put his arm around her and drew her, dazed and blinking, out of the alcove and into the soft lights of the plaza. He guided her to a stall with cold drinks and bought them one to share. They sat and sipped and watched some dancers on the open-air stage. Typically Plasian, the dance was sensuous to the point of near-copulation on stage and Bethany felt more aware of the desire coursing through her own body. Desire for the man seated next to her, one big, warm hand cupping hers.   
They strolled a little further and once more, Zan drew her into an intimate little space to kiss and caress her. This time, he kept one hand on her breast while the other slipped beneath her hem and stroked with silken heat up and down her thighs. She was trembling and sighing, begging him with her mouth and hands by the time he stood back and replaced her straps. She sagged against the wall.  
“Zan, don’t tease. I can’t stand it.”  
“Not here.” He kissed her cheek. “Let me take you home, sweet one.”  
She couldn’t get there fast enough. The whole way there, in the shuttle, she sat next to him, dying for him to touch her but he kept his arms folded and hummed as they sped through the night. By the time they reached her little home, she was ready to climb him like a tree.  
Blessedly, he didn’t waste any time once they were inside. He had her stripped in seconds flat and he carried her straight to her bed, kissing her the whole way. She sighed as he laid her down and began to undress himself. He climbed onto the bed with her and she wondered again that the bed she’d thought was enormous, too big for her, really, was suddenly a little crowded.   
Crowded with Zan was very nice.   
He raised up on one elbow. “Now, let me see about getting well beyond good with my pretty girl.”  
Sex with Zan was as thorough and as languorous as his kissing. He settled into the task with cool determination and if it took till next week to do everything he wanted, then so be it. Or so it seemed.   
His mouth on her breasts was bliss, starting out in the softest way then slowly, slowly, building up to the wildest, sweetest, naughtiest suckling she’d ever felt. He was relentless and to her utter shock, she came, writhing and crying from just his mouth on her breasts. When she came down, his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.   
“Oh, God. That’s never happened to me before.” It was all she could manage to groan. Her brain was mush.   
Then, he began again, slowly, deliberately tracing a path of kisses over her belly, pausing to lick at her navel, then proceeding down to where her flesh was already heated and wet for him. He nudged her legs apart with his chin, kissing the inside of her thigh. He settled himself in and just looked, long and lovingly, at her most intimate places. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. This is the prettiest body I’ve seen.” He took one finger and touched her folds, ever so lightly. “This is the loveliest, sweetest pussy I’ve ever touched.”  
She smiled at the word, a little word coming from his great big self. Pussy. She’d never thought she’d like that term but when Zan said it, while looking at hers so longingly and admiringly, she thought she might be more accepting.   
She started as he pressed a warm kiss to her in that private spot. He lifted away soon, and resumed petting her there, perfect petting, neither too soft nor too hard. Damn, the man knew what he was doing.   
She became lost, a creature of only sensation, of only one act, that of receiving these exquisite, erotic attentions. When he slipped a long finger into her sheath, she groaned. He stroked her folds with his other hand, keeping her simmering but not allowing her to strive against him.   
“Oh, Zan, that’s so good. Better and better.”  
He chuckled and slid another finger into her pulsing sex. “So warm, sweet. Your honey is slick and fine.”  “Mmm,” was all the reply she could muster.   
His probing fingers were rubbing gently inside her as his other hand found her hood and stroked around it, rousing her clit to fullness with shattering ease. She bucked and he growled. “Be still. You will let me pleasure you.”  
Did he think she was trying to stop him? She tried to relax and hold herself back but warm waves of sensation washed over her. Each wave carried promises, demands, of climax and release. She trembled in her efforts to remain still but it was a battle. He removed his fingers from her sheath and she cried out in protest.   
“Shh. Let me.”  
With his fingers dripping wet with her juices, he swirled around the rose-hole of her anus. She drew in a sharp breath. Yes, Frell had entered her there, but there was something still so new and startling about being touched in that way.   
Zan was as gentle and careful in entering her there as he was with everything else. His finger slipped in almost before she knew it was happening, she was so relaxed by his touch. His other hand was still doing wonderful things to her clit, now fully exposed and swollen under his ministrations. His finger in her smaller passage sank deeper and she groaned again.   
He pressed a kiss to her thigh and then added another finger to his gentle invasion of her back passage. He nuzzled her thigh with his cheek, a big cat making love to her. A very big, very dangerous cat. She made small, urgent noises as his movements became firmer, more insistent. When a third finger pressed against her, she whimpered.   
“No, Zan. Too much.”  
“Are you sure, sweet one? Am I hurting you?”  
“No. But―”  
“I will never hurt you, Bethany.”  
“I believe you but I―I’m not used to…”  
“I will show you pleasure.” His voice was a soft growl, asserting his control.  
“All...rigghhtt―oh, Zan, that’s so good!”  
He’d been true to his word. His gentle pressure, combined with more of her juices was perfect and he slid in, stretching her wider while at the same time making her feel so deliciously full she was helpless to stop herself from writhing and moaning.   
“Only pleasure, sweet one.”   
And with that, he set his mouth to her and sank his tongue deep into her sheath. She yelled and bucked and had to grip the bedcovers to keep herself still while his tongue plundered and his fingers tormented her. She was going to fly apart with the tension, the wanting. Holding still made everything worse, which somehow made everything better. He had primed her all day for this and she wasn’t going to last much longer.   
“Zan, I can’t wait! I think I’m going to come.”  
He raised his head. “Don’t wait. Come, lovely one, just as hard as you need.”  
She went over the edge with one more plunge of his tongue. She stiffened and arched, wordless, then howled in pleasure as spasm after spasm wracked her, taking her beyond any conscious thought, throwing her high into a world of pure, sparkling sensation. She hung there, pulsing and crying out, buffeted by winds of bliss that took her higher and higher.  
It seemed a long time before she was able to go still, panting, and lower herself onto the bed. She felt Zan lift gently away from her very sensitive flesh and press a last kiss on her thigh. He covered her with his huge, warm body and hugged her tightly.   
“You come like waves, Matara. Like a storm at sea.”  
She hugged him close, kissing his neck. “That was amazing. I thought I was going to hit the ceiling and keep on going. You’re amazing.”  
She stroked his back and he rolled off of her and went into the bath to wash. He was back very soon, sliding up against her side. She smiled into his dark eyes. “Now, my wonderful lover, what is your pleasure?”  
“To be inside you,” he said quietly. “As deep as I can get.”  
“That sounds perfect.”  
“There is one thing I must do.”   
“A condom?”  
He blinked. “No. There are no diseases that are transmittable between Earther and Kalquorian. Am I right?”  
She nodded. “Habit. It’s just what an Earther would say. We do share diseases on Earth. But I was treated against everything as soon as I came to Plasius. And I take contraceptives.”  
“As do I. What I meant was that I need to bite you, lovely one.”  
“What?” She shot up. “No, Zan! Absolutely not!”  
He pulled back to stare at her. “A Kalquorian bite isn’t to hurt you, Bethany―”  
“No, it’s to knock me senseless! Damn!” Her eyes filled with tears, much to her frustration. “I thought you were different.”  
He shifted back some more and sat up, giving her space. His eyes were darker than ever, his scowl black. “Knock you senseless? Why the hell would I want my pretty girl to be senseless?”  
“Because then you can do whatever you want and I won’t be able to move and you’ll just walk out and leave me!”


	10. Chapter Ten

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter 10  
Her anger and fear tumbled and twisted over and over inside her. Tears rolled down her cheeks but she swiped them away, furious at herself for letting that nameless asshole affect her again.   
Zan was breathing harder, his scowl ferocious. “Someone has used the bite to harm you. Isn’t that what you’re saying?”  
She nodded, her mouth twisting harshly.   
He swore in his own language and the oath was pretty awful. She guessed he didn’t realize she knew that much Kalquorian. He looked so furious she shrank against the far wall. He stood up from the bed and stalked around the room. “Are you saying that some bastard from my home world bit you and hurt you and then just left you?”  
She nodded again. “He didn’t really hurt me. But he didn’t tell me what he was doing. And I was so drugged up I could hardly move. I blacked out and when I came to, I was sick and he was gone.”  
“Who was this gurluck?”  
She winced at the foul word, which meant, in essence, mother-raper. It was one of the worst things you could call a Kalquorian. “I don’t know. He never told me his name.”  
He looked ready to put his fist through the wall. The man who was so gentle with her was gone, replaced by the warrior she knew him to be.   
“He’s the one who gave you leshella to drink, too, isn’t he?”  
“Yes.”  
He scrubbed his face with his hands. She could see he was trying to control his wrath. Would he turn it against her?  
He went to his knees beside the bed and reached to touch her hand. “Bethany. I am so sorry that bastard hurt you. If I could, I would kill him right now.”  
She gulped as she realized her meant it. He was gentle with her, but he was still all Nobek: protective, fierce, dangerous. To her surprise, she was okay with that.  
She patted his hand. “It’s all right. I’m over it. He was a loser, that’s all. It’s okay. Let’s just forget it. Please?”  
He looked wary. “Are you sure? We don’t have to do anything else, if you don’t want to. We can just be here together.”  
She shook her head and held out her arms. “Are you kidding? After that first act? If you think I’m going to miss the second act, think again.”  
He went into her embrace, stretching out beside her and gathering her to himself. He held her for a long time, not moving, until she finally lifted his head with her hands and kissed him.   
“Please, Zan. Help me forget it.”  
He pressed her flat into the bed, his glorious heat covering her everywhere as he began to devastate her with another of his long, slow kisses. She should feel dwarfed, crushed, overwhelmed to have this huge man on top of her. Instead, she felt as if her body was pinging with electricity, as if little points of light were flashing all along her skin. The smooth expanse of his chest heated her breasts and when his hand came up to stroke the side of one, she melted even further. She loved having him cradled against her hips. His hard, hot erections pressed her thighs, making her writhe and open for him, but he didn’t move to take her. She whimpered.   
“Zan.”  
He buried his face in her hair. “I can’t, Matara.”   
She went still. “What do you mean?”  
He lifted his head. His eyes were dark with worry. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”  
“You said you wouldn’t. I believe you.”  
“I won’t. Not knowingly. But you’re small, pretty girl. Delicate. I’m...not.”  
She swallowed as he pressed his erections against her. She recalled what he’d look like when they were at the lake. Both his organs were indeed very, very large. Much larger than either Frell’s or the AAK’s. Would he be too big?  
“I am Earther. My vagina is flexible. And, I have had someone take me in my...other passage.”  
“But the first time with me, it may still hurt.” He stroked her cheek. “That’s why I wished to bite you. To help you relax. To help you feel good.”  
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say. She wanted him so much but she didn’t want the bite that might make her lose control.   
“Let me try without it. Please?”  
“You will tell me at once if you need me to stop?” His look was anxious. “If I am too aroused, it may be difficult for me to hold back.”  
“I’ll tell you.” She kissed him. “I want you, Zan. And I trust you.”  
He closed his eyes and drew deep breath. “And I want you, sweet one.”  
He kissed her again, and petted her everywhere, returning her to a boil. She molded herself to him, longing for him, urging him to take her. She was so excited she almost screamed when he took her breast in his mouth and began to suckle, hard and sweet. Her sex clutched, aching for something to fill it.   
“Now.” At last, he drew back, slipping over her to spread her legs even wider.   
She caught his scent, that cinnamon and cream-spice scent, as he took his glistening cocks in hand to fit himself to her. He positioned himself carefully, both cocks resting at her entrances. She was moaning now, begging him.  
He pressed very slowly. She was almost frantic for him and she tried to press him inward, but he resisted her, setting her hands away from him. She tried wrapping her legs around him but he wouldn’t budge. He was entering her by fractions of inches and she wasn’t going to force him to go faster or harder.   
Soon, she was very glad he hadn’t allowed her to push him. The breadth of both his sexes was beyond her imagining and she felt a burning in both places as he began to penetrate deeper.  
Oh, God, it did hurt.   
She tried to swallow her gasp of discomfort. His head came up at once and he frowned.   
“All right?” She could hear his effort to control himself in his voice.   
“I-I’m okay. Slow is good.” She drew a couple of tight breaths, then forced herself to relax.   
He kissed her, then resumed his entry. She was being stretched to the bursting point, it seemed. Torn. Tears stung her eyes and blurred her vision.   
“Matara!” He went still. “I’m so sorry.” He began to pull out but that wasn’t much more comfortable.   
“Wait!” She squirmed, trying to find a better position. Nothing helped. Damn! She was so anxious, so hungry for him. And she wanted him to find his own pleasure with her.   
“Pretty girl, let me bite you.” His voice sounded ragged. “I can limit how much intoxicant I give you. You won’t be senseless, I swear it. I want you to have all your senses, but I don’t want to bring you any more pain.”  
She grimaced. It was a terrible thing to be so full of longing and need and yet be so afraid and pained. At long last, she nodded. She felt Zan was to be trusted.  
He very, very carefully withdrew from her and slipped up to gather her into his arms. He kissed her: short, adoring, gentling kisses. He brushed aside her hair and nuzzled his mouth to her neck, kissing and nipping and licking. Then, suddenly, he was biting her. It was fast, but it still hurt and she yelped. He lifted his fangs away quickly and licked the spot where he’d bitten her. Almost instantly, she felt a warm languor stealing through her and she went soft in his arms. He growled and hugged her tightly.   
She sighed. “Oh. That’s...wonderful, Zan.”  
He looked into her face and smiled. “I’m glad. I only want your pleasure.”   
He began kissing her again, his tongue rubbing sensually over hers, spinning hot bolts of sensation down her whole length. Her sex clenched and she pushed herself up against him, urging him on. She wasn’t out of it. She was fully aware and oh, so ready.  
“Let’s try again,” she whispered against his ear.   
This time, she was more ready for him. The bliss brought on by his bite warmed her, made her easy and relaxed so that when he pushed past her entries, she went softer still and he slipped in, deeper and deeper. She felt the stretch and even a little of the burn, but it wasn’t anything bad. The slight ache mingled with the pleasure of the fullness he brought her, spicing it.   
At long last, she felt his groin meet hers and they both heaved huge sighs. He held himself up, supported on his arms. His eyes were closed and he held very still, as if he didn’t trust himself to move.   
“Bethany,” he whispered. “Bethany.”  
She ran her hands over his massive shoulders, then pressed a kiss to his chest. She was so deliciously full, and proud to have taken all of him. Proud to have made this huge, strong male look almost helpless in response to joining himself to her.   
He opened his eyes and gazed down at her, his deep purple eyes adoring. “Inside you is the softest, warmest, tightest place I’ve ever been. You are perfect, little one.” He lowered himself to kiss her. “No pain?”   
She shook her head. “I’m fine. Better than fine.”  
He gave a gentle nudge with his hips and now she was the one closing her eyes in bliss. It didn’t take much motion to bring his heat against her primed, eager clit and send waves of excitement sweeping through her. Even his smaller cock, so deep in her back passage, felt right as he lowered himself and began to gently pump in and out of her.   
Thorough. Careful. Tender. Zan was a lover like no other she’d ever had. It seemed as if his every thought was for her pleasure, even as his heart thudded against her chest and she heard the catches in his breathing when her vagina clenched onto his penis in rippling ecstasy.   
Slowly. Building. Tormenting. He drove her up and up, but he never allowed her to take control and thrust herself against him, even though she tried. He would take them where he wanted them to go. It didn’t take much to make her surrender to him, trusting him to make the outcome something astonishing. His kisses had prepared her for that.  
A little harder. A little faster. She held onto his shoulders and dug her nails into the thick flesh as he pushed her, making her pant and moan.  
“Wrap your legs around me, pretty girl.” His hips shoved hard against her. “Hold me tight.”  
She obeyed at once, lifting her legs high to cross her ankles over his buttocks. She pressed hard and he began to pound into her, almost shoving her up the bed with the force of his thrusts. She was sobbing, feeling her climax reaching for her, ready to take her into the skies. A small ripple of fear shivered through her. She was so high already, she feared the coming climax as much as she ached for it; it was coming on so powerfully she wasn’t sure it wouldn’t blow her apart.  
He was growling now, writhing hard as he ground against her, making her clit throb with the glory of the pressure. She heard herself crying out but she was so lost in sensation, she didn’t know or care what she was saying.   
At last, he raised himself back up on his hands and thrust upward, his cock hitting that most sensitive spot in the front of her sheath and dragging across it. She shrieked and shook.   
“Zan!”  
He thrust again, hitting every nerve ending she had, it seemed. She couldn’t hold off. She arched upward and began to spasm around his hard flesh. She did soar higher, shouting with every throb, flying off into a whirl of light and pure, aching pleasure, shattering her and carrying away every bit. She had come apart and it was hugely, insanely glorious.  
He held her until she was almost ready to come down, then shoved hard against her once more. She felt him begin to pulse inside her and she came again, screaming and clutching at him as he roared his own response to the desperate pleasure of climax.   
Even in the throes of her own orgasm, she felt the deep, feminine triumph of having him release inside her.   
Oh, she was glad he’d bitten her. She wouldn’t have missed this for the world.  
He toppled down at long last, shifting to the side so he didn’t crush her. He gathered her to his chest and held her, stroking her hair and kissing her.   
“Beautiful.” He breathed against her temple. “Beautiful Bethany. Lovely Matara.”  
She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. She had no words. She knew she was still floating on the effects of his intoxicating bite, but she was also floating on the deep pleasure of his love-making. She sensed a slight ache where they were still joined, but she didn’t care. It was nothing compared to the immense pleasure she’d felt in this man’s arms.   
“Not senseless, yes?” His voice was a velvet rumble.  
She grinned. “Not senseless. Maybe boneless, but not senseless.”  
He kissed her. “Good. Boneless is soft and nice. I like making you boneless.”  
She was drifting off. He cuddled her close. She remembered then. “Oh. You have to leave, don’t you?”  
He stroked her side. “No, sweet one. I’m staying.”  
“But you said you had to meet Frell early in the morning.”  
“Frell will understand. I’ll only be a little late.”  
She bit her lip. He was staying because of what the AAK had done to her. “You don’t have to stay. I’m all right. After all, I know your name, don’t I?” She gave him a soft smile.   
He shook his head. “I’m staying, Bethany.” He kissed her, lingeringly. “Now, sleep if you need to, pretty girl. I’m going to want you again, soon, so don’t expect to sleep all night.”  
She studied his face. He looked utterly calm and certain. And demanding.   
He wasn’t going anywhere. In fact, he wasn’t even leaving her body―he was still deep inside her. He turned her carefully to her side and draped one of her legs over his hip, so she was free of his weight but not free of his cocks.   
He sighed contentedly and drew her close. She gave in to the bliss of his warm body, his protective arms, and she slept.   
He woke her sometime later, his flesh heating and filling inside her. He gave her the most delicious sleepy-sex imaginable. She had no idea a man could make her come just by rocking her onto himself, keeping her wrapped in his embrace. His own orgasm was quiet, but long and pulsing and hot. She was just beginning to feel sore when he nuzzled her neck and gave her just a nip with his fangs, withdrawing almost as quickly as he’d bitten her. She melted and slept.  
“Again,” he whispered somewhere around dawn.  
This time, he sat up and leaned back against the head of her bed. He lifted her and settled her on his lap, positioning his sexes carefully so that she slid down onto them with an excited wriggle. He let her move, lavishing attention on her breasts and caressing her bottom with his big, calloused hands as she rose and fell on him. Before too long, he took charge once more. He wrapped his arms around her so that her cheek was pressed to his shoulder, and pushed her down on him, firmly, grinding up into her with exquisite accuracy. This seemed to trigger something in him. He snarled and began to rut up against her, hard, making her cry out and cling to him as he took her into a storm that yielded two climaxes for her before he slammed upward, roaring, surrendering to his own towering release.   
She was utterly wiped out when he eased her down at last and settled them both like spoons to sleep. As she drifted off, she heard him murmur, almost to himself.   
“Pretty girl, I’m so glad we found you.”  
She woke to full sunlight and the movement of Zan leaving her bed. She sat up and stretched while he used her bathroom. He returned quickly.  
“I have to meet Frell.” He pulled on his clothes as he spoke. “But I will com you later, yes?”  
“Yes.” She couldn’t stop smiling.  
“You are so lovely.” He came and took her face in his hands to kiss her. “Thank you, sweet one, for such a wonderful night.”  
“Back at you.”  
She pulled on a robe and walked him to the door. He gave her one of his patented, small smiles.   
“Still think I’m a good person?”  
She chuckled. “Yes. But if you get any better, I’m not sure I’ll survive.”  
He kissed her swiftly. “That’s what I like to hear.”  
She stood by the coffee maker after he left. She was achy and a little sore but also blissfully sated.   
“Two men,” she said to the little appliance on the countertop. “Two Kalquorians in a row. Okay, three, if you count Mr. Stinker, but I don’t want to, so I’m not gonna.”  
Two men had taken her to heaven, higher and more wonderfully than anything she’d ever felt. And so different. Frell had made her feel joyful and naughty and almost child-like. Zan had been serious and kind and he made her feel protected and cherished. Both were passionate, skilled lovers. Both had absolutely ruined her for any other men, she felt sure. Neither had tried to take advantage of her. Zan had gone out of his way to show her he wasn’t the type of man who fucked and fled, and Frell had already followed through on his promise to contact her and to ensure that she came to his gala.   
So, all Kalquorians weren’t stinkers.   
She made herself a cup of coffee, noting that she had to find someplace to get more of the precious stuff, soon. It was one Earther habit she had no desire to abandon.   
Earth. She was so damn glad she was free of that rock. She knew without a doubt that she would never have had even an hour of the kind of delight she’d known with Frell and Zan if she had stayed on her home world. She wished she could wear a badge that said “Proud Ex-Patriate.”   
There was only one fly in the ointment, however. Or should she say two flies? There were two of these wonderful men. Two men who seemed almost perfect for her. Two men she wanted very much to see again. Two men who were good friends.   
How could she possibly choose between them? It was impossible for her to see them both and keep it a secret even if she was the type to keep a secret like that. She was sure she couldn’t love two men at once, even if she was going to be in love. Even if a man could ever accept another man in his relationship with a woman.   
Yes, she’d heard that Kalquorians tended to form groups of three men and one woman, but Frell and Zan didn’t have a clan, as far as she could tell, and she’d never believed that four people could have a real relationship without someone getting destroyed or rejected. Without there being jealousy and fights. It wasn’t possible.   
She was going to see them both at the gala. She had to face this. She would need to make a choice. There was one more day before the event. She’d take this time to compare and to study her feelings for Zan and Frell. Then, at the gala, she’d make her decision.


	11. Chapter Eleven

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter 11  
Frell grinned as Zan appeared at the installation site, looking stunned and slightly rumpled. Clearly, sailing with Bethany had turned into a night-long adventure. He was glad. His very serious Nobek had needed a little fun in his life.   
“She’s sheer heaven, yes?”   
His clanmate joined him by the dais that was being built next to his sculpture. Zan rolled his eyes. “Heaven doesn’t even begin to describe her.”  
“Everyone’s always said Earther Mataras are the sweetest, softest females in the galaxy.” Frell handed Zan a pouch of water. “I always thought they were making it up to drive us crazy.”  
Zan took a long drink, gazing off into the distance. “She isn’t just sweet and soft, though she has the most delicious body I’ve ever felt. She’s a sweet, soft person, too. I need a sweet soft female. I like her, Frell. More than I thought I was going to.”  
Frell studied him for a moment. Then, he nodded. “She is a nice girl. Smart. Fun. Yes, I like her, too.”  
“I want to see her again. Beyond the gala. I want our clan to share her.”  
Frell shook his head. “Rejan will never accept her.”  
“I suppose not.” Zan’s happy expression dimmed.  
They walked along toward the curtained scaffolding that hid the sculpture. The last major piece was ready to be put in place. Zan reached for his tools but paused and looked up at Frell.   
“Do you think he might accept her just for now? For our visit here?”  
“You mean, would he be all right with having an Earther if it was just for a short time?”  
“Yes.” Zan stood and looked off across the park. “Maybe he could forget for a little while.”  
Frell touched his arm. “You were there with him, on Earth. I wasn’t, but from what you’ve told me, his experience with Larke was horrible. All this time and he still can’t talk about it. Do you think he can forget, even for a little while?”  
Zan shook his head. “No. You’re right.” He scowled. “I still want to see her again. Bethany. I want her again. I loved being with her but I want my clan with me. It’s what feels right.”  
Frell turned away. He’d seen something in Zan’s eyes he’d never seen before. It made him both glad and uneasy.   
“I think we’re on our own here, my Nobek.” He tried for a light smile. “We’ll just have to enjoy pretty Bethany separate from Rejan.”  
“Are we going to tell him?”  
“I don’t know. Let’s wait until the gala. If Bethany doesn’t attend, we won’t have to worry about it, will we?”  
Zan looked stricken. “Doesn’t attend? You don’t think she’ll run away, do you?”  
“I don’t know. Let’s just wait and see. But for the record? I want to share her, too.” He shot Zan a cheerful leer. “By the suns, she made me come so hard I think I went deaf and blind for a few minutes!”  
Zan snorted. He took off his shirt and started to work.  
Frell’s heart softened as he saw the worry in Zan’s eyes. Rejan and Zan had been through so much together over the years. They could almost read each other’s minds, they were so close. Sometimes he envied them that closeness, as much as he knew they loved and cared for him. Other times, he was glad they couldn’t read every thought that passed through his head. Still, the clan bond was deep and strong, especially where it had first been forged by his Dramok and his Nobek. He knew that if Rejan feared something was bothering Zan, it would rest heavy on his heart until he knew the truth.   
The truth. Damn, he thought. The truth was that their Nobek had gone and done the thing he and Rejan had least expected.   
Zan had fallen in love.   
In all the time he’d known Zan, and from what Rejan had told him, Zan had never been in love. His bond with his clan was his closest tie. When the three of them shared a female, Zan had always taken part with enthusiasm, but he’d never seemed bothered by any attachments. He was ready to move on, even if the sex had been exceptional. He kept himself aloof, as if on guard against a female who might try to undermine the clan.   
But little Bethany Corddray, with her crystalline green eyes and her soft laugh, not to mention her tender, responsive body, had slipped through that armor and captured their Nobek’s heart. He had no doubt Zan was in far deeper than he even realized.   
He recalled discussing it with Rejan, not long after he’d joined the Dramok’s clan. “When Zan falls in love, it will be something to see.”  
Rejan had scoffed. “It’ll never happen. Our Nobek is an unassailable tower.”  
“He is right now. But when that tower falls, it’s going to be a monumental crash.”  
Frell looked at his Nobek clanmate, working away. If he was correct, and Zan was in love with an Earther, it meant their clan was in for some difficult times. He hoped he had the strength and the skill to help them through.   
#  
Bethany glanced around the crowds in the park and tried to calm herself. She could see the sculpture, still draped, and the lighted dais that stood next to it. But she couldn’t see Frell anywhere. Or Zan.  
Floating lights twinkled in the trees and bright music came from a string quartet. The air was full of the scent of flowers and grass and the breeze was perfect. It was a heavenly night.  
A Plasian server showed her a tray of drinks. She took the tumbler of ice water and sipped it as she moved forward through the throng. Someone jostled her elbow and water spilled on the front of her dress. She gasped and shivered at the sudden cold.  
She brushed at her front, chuckling. She was always getting doused around the Kalquorians. Wet clothing was how they’d met. Wet clothing was how she’d gotten the fragile, painted silk dress she was wearing now. She’d never owned anything so lovely. She plucked at the damp bodice, willing it to dry quickly in the evening heat. She didn’t want to attend the gala looking like the loser in a wet T-shirt contest.   
Suddenly, she saw Frell’s head and broad shoulders above the sea of smaller Plasians. His smile when he saw her was like the sun. He pressed through the crowd and swooped her up in his arms. She yelped as more water soaked her dress. He hugged her, laughing, then stepped back to help her brush off the dampness. His enthusiasm for running his hands over her breasts was as ardent as ever, his grin impish. He drew her back into his arms and kissed her, deeply. She went weak in the knees.   
Fortunately, someone caught her from behind just as Frell let her go. Big, powerful arms wrapped around her and she was drawn back against a broad, hard chest. She looked up with a squeak and saw Zan smiling into her eyes. He lowered his head before she could say a word and gave her one of his own, trademark, toe-curling kisses.   
She struggled away and he released her, with a low chuckle. She stared from one to the other, stunned. How could this be happening?  
“No! Zan, Frell, you―”  
Frell took her again and peppered her face with kisses. Zan stroked her hair and pressed in behind her, kissing her neck. Holy hell, what was going on?  
She tore her mouth free of Frell’s and gave them both a shove. “What are you doing?”  
They blinked at her.   
“Kissing you.” Frell’s smile was wickedly cheerful.   
“Saying hello.” Zan nodded, his eyes warm.   
“Are you―” Cold washed over her and it wasn’t the ice water. “Oh, no. You two are clanmates, aren’t you?”  
“Of course.” Zan regarded her calmly. “I wouldn’t come up and kiss some stranger’s Matara.”  
“You never―”  
Someone called from the direction of the dais. “Imdiko Frell? It’s time.”  
Frell took her hand and kissed it. “We must go. We’ll see you after the unveiling.”  
He and Zan turned and hurried off. Just like that.  
She stood there like an idiot, staring at the two dark heads as they made their way to the steps and up onto the dais. She saw Israla standing by, and several other capital dignitaries beside her. She knew the exotically beautiful Saucin was ambitious for all of Plasius but the renovation of the city’s central park, featuring works by famous artists and buildings by renowned architects was her pet project. Frell was among very prestigious company.   
Yeah, company like his clanmate. Why hadn’t they told her they were clanned? They’d each known then, that she had slept with the other. God, had they compared notes? Had they planned it this way? Had they flipped a coin to see who got her first?  
Kalquorians.  
She was such a dupe. Hurt and humiliation crept all over her, making her want to sink right into the ground. There they were, up on that dais, smiling and looking so damned smug. A third man joined them―no doubt the Dramok of the clan―and they greeted him with grins, clapping each other on the back. A follow-spot tracked over the three men as the mayor of the capital city stepped up to make some opening remarks.   
All Bethany heard was the sound of her blood rushing in her ears. The third man. She knew him. The clan leader. Frell and Zan’s Dramok.   
It was the Anonymous Asshole Kalquorian.   
She was going to be sick. Horror and fury rose up and made an awful, twisting knot in her throat. She flung her glass aside, turned, and ran for the shuttles. She almost tripped and fell a couple of times, but at last she was at the stop, a shuttle was gliding up, and she could hop in and order it to take her home.   
Damn it! She had been so stupid! Of course Frell and Zan were clanmates. They’d both been working on the sculpture together, they’d both rescued her from the pond, they’d both taken her shopping and then to lunch. She was the idiot who hadn’t seen it, though she still felt betrayed.  
But that wasn’t the worst of it. Not by a long country mile as Gran used to say.   
The worst was that they were obviously clanned with the butthead who’d drugged her, had sex with her, and left her unconscious at Israla’s compound. The miserable bastard was their leader!  
When it pulled up at the curb, she slammed out of the shuttle and into her apartment. She went straight to the kitchen and took a bottle of tequila from the fridge. She mixed it with fruit juices and ice and strode about the living area, alternately sipping it and pressing the glass against her flushed cheeks.   
Did the AAK know about Frell and Zan seeing her? Screwing her? Had they all had a good laugh over it when they were back at their place?   
“Oh boy, we had a great time, each of us, didn’t we?” She mocked their deep voices and Kalquorian accented speech. “Ha! Dumb little Earther fell for all of it.”  
She saw Zan’s valerius stem in the vase on her table. She marched over to it, yanked it out of the vase and carried it into the kitchen. She fed it into the garbage removal unit, set it to grind, then flushed it down with a long stream of water. The scent of sage and limes still mocked her from the depths. She got out a bottle of Earth-imported tomato juice and poured some into the unit.   
“Lord knows if it works to get out the smell of a skunk attack, it’ll work on Kalquorian stink.”   
She jumped as the door chimes sounded. Great. She didn’t need company. She tossed back the remains of her drink, set down the glass and went to the front door. A glimpse out showed both Frell and Zan on her doorstep.   
“Go away! Get off my porch!”   
“Matara!” Frell called. “Bethany, please! Are you all right?”  
“I’m fine! Fuck off!”  
The chimes rang again. She went to her vid/com unit, turned on a music channel, and cranked up the volume. The chimes persisted.   
She turned her back on the door and went to the kitchen to pour herself another drink. When she returned to the living area, both men were seated on her lounger, arms crossed, staring at her with anxiety and consternation on their faces. How had they gotten in? She stalked to the vid, changed from music to com and and hit the panic button.   
“Security?”  
“How may I help you, Bethany Corddray?” asked the operating droid.  
“I have intruders in my apartment. Please send someone to remove them.”  
The droid’s smooth voice soothed. “They’re on their way to you, Bethany Corddray.”  
She whirled and faced the Kalquorians, whose faces now registered shock. “Better get out now, because I will press charges.”  
Frell looked genuinely upset. “Matara. Please. Tell us what’s wrong. You scared us, running away like that. I’m sorry we couldn’t get here sooner. Are you sick, sweet girl?”  
“Did someone say something to you at the gala?” Zan’s forehead was furrowed. “Are you hurt?”  
“I’m fine, no thanks to you. Now get out of my apartment.”  
They sat where they were. Frell held up a hand. “We’re not leaving until you tell us what’s wrong, Bethany. You owe us an explanation, at least.”  
“I? Owe you? That’s rich.”  
“You’re angry with us,” Frell said cautiously. “Why, Bethany?”  
She looked out to see if the security shuttle had arrived. The street was still empty.   
She turned to face the pair, whose purple eyes were watchful.   
“You never told me you were clanmates. You never told me anything other than that you were friends.”  
“But Bethany, we thought you knew.” Zan blinked at her. “You seemed to accept us right from the start. You must know that Kalquorian males form clans.”  
“Yes, I know that! But I didn’t know that you two were clanned with each other. I thought you had to have a Dramok to be a clan and you never mentioned one. When you asked me out separately, I figured you were both single. Just friends. And you didn’t say a word to me when each of you asked me out and then…then you…”  
“Made love with you, precious girl. We can explain.”  
“We both wanted to be with you but the installation was taking much of our time. We decided that we would see you separately until after the gala, so that one of us would be minding the piece at all times.” Frell scowled. “There have been vandals in the park. They destroyed part of my sculpture and we’ve had to rebuild it.”  
She crossed her arms. “Keep going.”  
“I had to be available these last two days for meetings and interview, so Zan watched the first night while I was with you and I watched the next night while he took you out. That’s all, sweet one. We truly didn’t realize you didn’t see we were clanmates.”  
“Yeah, well, I bet you had a―”  
The chimes sounded at her door. Suddenly, she felt stupid all over again, this time for having summoned the security patrol.   
She went to the door and stuck her head out. “I’m sorry. I made a mistake. Thank you for coming, though. I appreciate it.”  
“Are you sure, Bethany Corddray?” one of the two Plasian officers asked. Plasians were very peaceful by nature and they were no doubt alarmed if an Earther woman needed help. Tensions between Earth and its ex-patriated citizens were strained, to say the least, and the Plasians were sometimes caught in the middle.   
“Yes. I’m fine. Thanks again.”   
She closed the door and listened for the whoosh of their shuttle pulling away. When they were gone, she turned to the Kalquorians.   
“Thank you for not having us arrested.” Frell’s brows were drawn. He looked genuinely concerned. “What can we do to make this better, sweetling?”  
“You can start by telling me about your asshole Dramok.”  
They both looked taken aback.   
“You know our Dramok?” Zan ventured.   
“What’s his name?”  
“Rejan,” Frell said. “He is leader―”  
“Yes, I know what a Dramok is,” she said impatiently. “So, how did he respond when you told him you were seeing me? Bet he laughed his ass off.”  
Zan looked very disturbed. “We haven’t said anything about you to Rejan. He hasn’t been in the capital for several days. He came straight from his transport ship to the gala.” He looked at her anxiously. “How do you know Rejan?”  
“He didn’t say anything when he saw me at the gala?”  
“He didn’t see anything other than your back, running away from us.” Frell lifted his hands. “We just told him we had to go after you as soon as my piece was unveiled. We left him making our apologies to the Saucin and the city officials.”  
“Well, I wouldn’t trust him to make an apology. More likely he’ll just disappear.”  
Zan’s face went as dark as a thunderstorm. “Matara, are you saying Rejan is the one who drugged you and left you?”  
“That’s the guy.” She turned on her heel and went into the kitchen for another drink. She hadn’t finished the one she had in her hand but she decided she’d have another ready for when she did.   
Zan was in the kitchen before her. He’d moved so quickly and silently she hadn’t even seen him. Is that how they’d gotten into her apartment? Were they magicians of some kind?  
“Pretty girl, if our Dramok hurt you, we couldn’t be more sorry. Are you sure it was Rejan?”  
She nodded. She hated the hurt look in his beautiful eyes. She turned from him to reach into the fridge. He put a hand lightly on her chin, turned her to face him.   
“Bethany, I didn’t know.” His voice was achingly sad.   
She felt her throat tighten, threatening tears. She pushed his hand away. “Well, now you do. And you can let yourselves out.”   
She went back to getting out the tequila. She heard them talking in the living area, their voices too low to hear what they said. Frell appeared in the kitchen as she was dumping fresh ice into her glass.   
“Bethany, I’m so sorry.”  
She looked up and saw that he actually did have tears shining in his eyes. She didn’t want to feel sorry for him, dammit!  
“I said I’m fine. I’m over it. I just don’t want to see any of you guys ever again.”  
He left the kitchen and she heard the front door close softly. She sagged against the counter.   
“One more thing, pretty girl.” Zan was in the entryway to the kitchen.  
She nearly jumped out of her skin. “What the hell are you still doing here?”  
He crossed his arms. “We want you to know that we’re not leaving until we hear an apology.”  
“What?”   
Frell now stood beside him. “That’s right. You’ve been very thoughtless and rude. We bought you some lovely gifts and you haven’t even thanked us for them.”  
She set down her glass before she hurled it at them. “I’ve been what? Rude to you?” The audacity of these two was breathtaking. “I thought I told you to get out.”  
Frell regarded her severely. “We will. Just as soon as we hear an apology.”   
“And a nice thank you,” Zan put in.   
They disappeared and she raced around the doorway to see them seated once more on her lounger, their arms crossed, stubborn frowns on their faces.   
“What gifts? Didn’t you get what you wanted when you each took me to bed?”  
Zan looked genuinely offended. “You’re not a whore, Bethany.”  
“Yeah well, what gifts are these?”  
“The clothes we bought you.” Frell nodded to her dress. “Good colors, yes?”  
She gaped. “The clothes? You want me to thank you for buying me a dress after you knocked me over and ruined my other clothes?” Had there been something weird in her tequila, or had she just fallen down a rabbit hole?  
“Other men might have brushed you off and let you go.” Zan was matter of fact.  
“Given you a little money for cleaning.” Frell nodded emphatically. “But we took you shopping and bought you replacements for those clothes.”  
She narrowed her eyes at them. “I’m sure I said thank you.”  
Two heads shook their dissent.   
“Okay, well, thanks.”  
“Not good enough.”   
She bridled. “Oh, no?”  
“No.” Zan made a spinning motion with his finger. “Model it for us, pretty girl. We want to make sure we got the right size.”  
“Does it feel good, Matara? Do you like wearing it?”  
She glowered at them both. “I said thank you.”  
They just waited, arms crossed.   
“This is blackmail.”  
“Not really,” Frell said amiably.  
“Sexual harassment.”  
“Maybe. But we’re not propositioning you, sweet. And we’re not in the workplace. We just want to see the dress. See if we got our money’s worth.”  
“Oh, for God’s sake.” She held the skirt out by her finger tips and rotated. She faced them again and dipped into a mocking curtsey. “Thank you, Frell and Zan,” she sing-songed. “Now get out.”  
“I think it’s a nice dress, don’t you, Zan?”  
“It is now. Pretty girl makes it nice.”  
She adopted their stance, crossing her arms and staring at them. “I’m waiting.”  
“So are we.” Frell’s tone was sweet.   
She groaned. “What now?”  
“We want to see the rest.”  
She felt her cheeks heat. “No way.”  
“You are wearing the rest of our gift, aren’t you?” Zan words were soft and yet dangerously seductive. “Underneath?”  
“I’m sure I felt something very nice when I helped you get the water off your dress earlier tonight.” Frell’s smile was beatific.  
“You rat bastards.”   
“No, no rats.” Zan shook a finger at her. “No Rat Face, no rat bastards.”  
“I’m not stripping.”  
“No one said anything about stripping, did they?” Frell was all innocence. “You can leave the pretty things on, sweet. We just want to see them.”  
“On you.” Zan nodded toward her.  
“I’m calling security.”  
Zan shook his head. “Oh, I don’t think you want to do that, Matara. You’ve already called them once tonight with a false alarm.”  “What will you tell them, Bethany?” Frell asked. “That two men you know and have gone to bed with came to your house and asked to see you in pretty clothes? Clothes they bought for you? This is Plasius. They’ll just smile and tell us to enjoy our playtime.”  
Damn them. They were double-teaming her. And winning. “Is that what this is for you? Playtime?”  
“No, Matara. This is payback.” Zan’s voice was quiet but authoritative. “We left the gala that was being held for Frell so we could come here and make sure you were all right.”   
Her heart fell. “Oh, God, I am sorry, Frell. You should go back. Don’t miss your reception.”  
“Not until I have my proof.” He settled deeper into the lounger.   
“Are you crazy? This is one of the biggest nights of your life. Go!”  
“The lingerie, pretty girl.” Zan stared at her implacably. “Now.”  
“Then will you go?”  
“We’ll be open to discussion once we’ve seen what you have on under the dress.”  
She groaned again. She hauled the dress up and away and stood, blushing, before their avid gazes.   
The bra they’d bought her was made of pure silk from far-off Islinn, on the other side of Plasius. The fabric was more like something spun from cobwebs than cloth, it was so delicate and transparent. It was a gorgeous shade of pale peach and so low cut her nipples made half-moons over the top of the cups.   
The thong was in the same fragile fabric and so wispy and minimal, it hardly covered anything. She had also shaved earlier in the day―completely―so that through the window-pane of silk it was clear where her cleft began. She huffed at the memory of how excited she’d been while she’d prepared for tonight.  
The scent of cinnamon rose around her. She wanted to cover herself but she also didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing her embarrassed. Let them get aroused, she thought. They were getting nothing from her. Except that she felt herself getting damp, dammit.  
She looked pointedly at them. “Well?”  
Zan patted his lap. “Here, pretty girl. I want to see if they fit you.”  
“Oh, no! I’m not falling for that one!”  
“Well, then, we have no choice.” Frell’s tone was sad. “We’ll have to take them all back.”  
Now she did cover herself. “You are nuts! The store won’t take these back. I’ve worn them all.”  
“True. And they won’t look good on my Nobek. Not his color. Still, I think we ought to take them back if you don’t appreciate them.” Frell extended his palm as Zan picked up her dress. “Hand them over, Matara.”  
She couldn’t believe this. She was standing in her own house and these two jokers were trying to make her feel guilty about accepting a gift from them― She halted. Jokers.  
“You rat bastards.” The corners of her mouth tugged up. She forced them down.   
“Bethany. No rats.” Zan’s look was stern. But she saw the twinkle in the depths of his eyes.   
“Damn you, you were sending me up!”  
Frell began to grin. “And you were playing along so perfectly, sweet girl!” He nudged his clanmate. “Look, she’s smiling again.”  
“I am not!”   
“You have a lovely smile,” Zan said.   
“Dammit! This isn’t fair!” She let the smile loose and sagged. “You rotten tricksters! You two got me to not be mad at you and I don’t want to not be mad at you two! Okay, that was a crappy sentence, grammatically. But you know what I mean!”  
“Here.” Zan rose and handed her the dress. “Get dressed, darling girl. We have a reception to attend.”  
She balked. “Rejan will be there.”  
“You have to face him,” Frell said. “And we’ll be right there with you.”  
“No, please don’t make me!”  
Frell took the dress and dropped it over her head. He took her arms and pulled them through the armholes while Zan smoothed down the skirt. Both of them sneaked touches in intimate places but backed away quickly. What they would have done if she hadn’t caught on to their little game? The thought warmed her further.  
“Rejan needs to own up to what he did,” Zan said. “We don’t let our clanmates hurt others without good reason. And never females.”  
“If what you say is true, then he’s shamed us.” Frell smoothed her hair. “We won’t let him get away with this. He knows what we’ll do if he refuses.”  
She grimaced. “What will you do?”  
“Break his face,” Zan said calmly.   
“What?”  
“No, sweetheart. We won’t break his face,” Frell said soothingly. “We’ll only break his arms.”  
“No! Oh, damn you! You’re teasing me again, aren’t you? Why am I so gullible around you two?”  
“Because we have sweet and innocent faces.” Zan scowled hideously.   
Frell took her hand and kissed it. “And if we haven’t said it before, we like you very much. Teasing you is fun.”  
“But we will never hurt you. We’ll never let anyone else hurt you.” Zan’s arm came around her, protectively. “Even our asshole Dramok.”  
“All right. Let me get my shoes.” She crossed to the door to find her sandals. “But you two better not leave me alone with your Rejan. I won’t promise that I won’t do some damage if he denies any of it.”  
They escorted her out after Zan had commed for a shuttle. She didn’t see the dark looks the Kalquorians exchanged over her head.


	12. Chapter Twelve

ALIEN HEART  
Chapter 12 

Rejan smiled as he watched the admiring party-goers circle his Imdiko’s amazing sculpture. Even though he’d been watching the piece develop since its inception, he was still struck by how well it looked here in the park, in its own setting. He wished Frell would get back here so he could accept all these accolades in person. His Imdiko deserved every one of them.   
What the hell had made him and Zan race after an Earther, leaving the Saucin, a gaggle of dignitaries, and a large contingent of prominent citizens, all of them eager to meet the artist? Who was this girl who had his clanmates in such an uproar they’d abandon everything to run after her?  
He accepted a drink from a passing server and watched as a clan from his home world escorted a quartet of giggling Plasian females toward one of the exits. Someone was going to have fun tonight. Maybe he’d round up some of the amiable, ever-amorous little Plasians and bring them home to enjoy with his clan. They’d all been working so hard on this trip that they deserved a bit of recreation.   
He breathed in relief as he saw Frell and Zan coming toward him across the park, their dark heads above the olive and blue heads of the other species scattered around the grounds in groups and pairs. He frowned. They had a female with them. A woman―oh, shit an Earther―  
He groaned and felt suddenly sick. Great suns. It was the Earther he’d met at Israla’s party last month. The one he’d panicked and left after she’d fallen asleep on the lounger where they’d had incredible sex. How the hell had she found his clanmates? Had she come after them, hoping to exact some sort of revenge on him, through them?   
He caught the fury in the faces of his Imdiko and Nobek and knew that she’d told them everything. He was about to get publicly raked over the coals by three very angry individuals, two of whom could rip off his arms, if they chose.   
He moved away from the sculpture, not wanting a scene near Frell’s patrons and well-wishers. His clanmates and their charge kept coming for him. He found a somewhat quieter, more out of the way spot to stand and braced himself.  
Frell and Zan came to a halt before him, their faces like storm clouds. The Earther stood between them. Her pale cheeks were flushed and she seemed to shrink back against his clanmates, but those green eyes that he’d recalled so vividly over the past weeks were snapping with indignation.   
He bowed. “Matara. My clan.” He nodded to Zan and Frell.   
“Bethany has told us what you did when she met you at Israla’s.” Zan’s voice had an edge Rejan had never heard before.   
“We believe she’s telling the truth.” Even his Imdiko looked ready to swing on him.  
“Matara Bethany.” He bowed to her again. “I finally learn your name.”  
“And I finally learned yours.” Her soft mouth was a straight line.   
“I believe I owe you an apology.”  
“No shit.”  
He startled at her pithy words—in Kalquorian, yet. The literal meaning of the words wasn’t exactly the same as the English, but he knew from her expression she wasn’t speaking merely of bodily functions. This was one furious Matara.  
He lifted his chin. “How did you find my clanmates?” He was damned if he’d let this female take advantage of Frell and Zan.   
“I met them right here, the other day.” She nodded toward the sculpture. “I tripped and they helped me up.” Her eyes blazed. “I think you said something about an apology?”  
“How did you know where to find them?”   
She stared at him in obvious shock. “Find them? You think I went after them to find y― Oh, my God, you have to be the most arrogant, self-centered, inconsiderate, asshat in the known galaxy!”  
She tried to move away but the other two men put hands on her shoulders and held her. She hissed. “Let me go. I have nothing to say to this―this―gurluck!”  
Rejan jerked. “What did you call me?”  
“Gurluck!” Sparks flew in those green eyes. “And yes, I know exactly what that word means. I’m not the dumb little Earther you obviously thought I was.”  
“Wait!” Frell pulled the girl closer to him, protectively.   
Oh, damn, Rejan thought, feeling his heart sink. She had her hooks into his Imdiko, all right. How was he going to get them out of this mess?  
Frell put out a hand to him. “Let’s calm down. Matara, let me ask Rejan some questions, yes?”  
She looked up at his clanmate, her look measuring but not hateful, as it was toward him. Rejan waited. Might as well hear the worst of her accusations. From her behavior, some of them were bound to be pretty wild. How else would his clan be sucked into this foolishness between them?  
Bethany nodded tersely and Zan moved in closer to her. Rejan felt a sudden chill at the flicker of softness in his Nobek’s face. Both of them? What sort of magic did this little witch possess? She had enticed him that night at Israla’s party. Now, it seemed she had ensorcelled his Nobek, who was famously resistant to feminine wiles. His lovable, carefree Imdiko was smitten, too. No, he was sure of it now. He was not the only one in trouble because of this Bethany.   
“Rejan, did you take Matara Bethany to bed at Israla’s last month?”  
“Yes, Frell, I did.” He nodded to the girl. “I’m sorry that I left without saying goodbye, Matara.”  
“Goodb―”  
“Please, pretty girl.” Zan broke in, his voice soft. “Let Frell ask him.”  
Rejan’s heart went colder as the girl looked up into Zan’s face and then, nodded, surprisingly meekly. Oh, she was good, he thought. She was playing them for all they were worth. Is that what she wanted? Money?  
“Did you bite her, Rejan?” Frell’s look was sharp.   
“I did. I thought it would bring her pleasure and allow her to accept a male who was much larger than I guessed she was used to.” He kept his expression bland, though he was seething at the interrogation. He was their Dramok, damn it!  
“Did you give her leshella?” Zan interjected.   
“Yes. And she drank it. She’s a grown woman, I’m sure she’s had wine before.”  
The Earther opened her mouth, but Frell again put out a hand before she could speak. He frowned at Rejan.   
“Was she already intoxicated when you gave her leshella?”  
Rejan’s temper left his control. “We were at a party. A Plasian party, where everyone was drinking wine and everyone was taking everyone else to bed!” He glared at the girl. “What have you been telling them? That I got you drunk, bit you, and then raped you? And you two.” He turned to his clanmates. “Since when do accept the word of an outsider? Against your Dramok?” He finished on a snarl.   
Frell looked decidedly upset. “Something happened, Rejan. Something that scared Bethany.”  
“Then ask her! Ask her if she didn’t put her arms around me in the garden that night. We’d never met and she was all over me. Typical Earther female. Says she wants sex and then cries about it when she gets it!”  
The slap she gave him caught him square on the jaw. She yelped at the pain to her hand but didn’t back down. She packed a punch for such a little one, he thought. It actually stung.  
“And you sound just like a typical Earther male!” she spat. “Claiming a woman begged to be raped!”  
“I did not rape you!”  
“No. But you made damn sure I couldn’t move, so that you could use me without me interfering with your fun! You got me drunk and you pumped me full of your damned intoxicant, and you fucked me over and over like I was an inflatable doll or something! Then, when I passed out, you sneaked out and went happily on home!” She was still up near his face, her eyes blazing.  
“I made sure you had pleasure!” At Frell’s hiss, he lowered his voice. “You came many times, Matara. Are you going to deny that?”  
“No. But you didn’t even ask me my name, you didn’t tell me yours, and you never once checked to see if I was all right, did you?”   
“You were asleep!”  
“I was unconscious! I threw up the next morning, when I finally came to around those damned lilies. I was sick from the wine and the bite. And no matter how many times I came, it doesn’t excuse you from running out on me!”  
“Wait!” Frell held up his hand. “Lilies, Matara?”  
“Yes, lilies. He picked a bunch for me just before he took me into the room at Israla’s. When I woke up, they were all around me.”  
“White lilies with blue-green centers?”  
“Yes, Plasian night lilies. Why?”  
“Imdiko, what the hell are you talking about?” Rejan demanded.  
“Plasian night lilies are favored by the people here.” Frell’s eyes darted back and forth between Rejan and the girl. “I’d have thought you’d know, Matara. Their scent is an aphrodisiac to them.” He took her hands. “They do not affect Kalquorians, Bethany. But I think it’s clear they affect Earthers.”  
“What are you saying? Are you saying that not only did he give me a drink and a bite to incapacitate me, but he added an aphrodisiac flower?” She turned to Rejan. “What’s the matter? Can’t get a girl to go to bed with you without half-poisoning her with sex drugs?”  
Rejan gaped at his Imdiko. “They’re aphrodisiacs to Earthers? Dammit, Frell, I didn’t know the damned things even worked that way on Plasians, let alone Earthers. How could I?”  
“You still knew she was under the influence. You don’t leave a female that way.” Zan’s voice rumbled in his chest. “You left her without telling her your name or saying goodbye. You didn’t ask her who she was or how she was.”   
Rejan stared at his old friend. Zan’s look was contemptuous. He felt the blow to his heart. Zan had never, in all their years, after all the crazy, wild things they’d done together, been ashamed of him. It hurt like fire to lose his Nobek’s good opinion.   
Damn the girl! Why couldn’t she have left his clan alone?  
Yet Zan was right. He had behaved shamefully. He had indeed known she was under the influence. He’d panicked when he realized she would wake, sober, and all her Earther indoctrination would come flooding back, sending her into a shrieking fit. He’d learned that lesson the hard way.  
She had been willing, she had found pleasure, yes, but from her point of view, what he had done was tantamount to raping her, he supposed. He’d compounded it by sneaking away like a cowardly dog.  
He lowered his head. “I am sorry, Matara Bethany. I treated you very badly. I hope you can forgive me.”  
“Why did you do it?”  
Her quiet question, the hurt in her voice ripped into him. He had been raised to revere and respect women. To protect them, as his clanmates were now doing with this girl. He shook his head.  
“I had been drinking. I was under the influence of my desires and male stupidity. I ran away, fearing you would be in a state when you realized you’d broken your Earther training.”  
“A state? My Earther training?” She looked ready to explode. “You are a piece of work, you know that? You didn’t even ask my name. What could you possibly know about how I was trained?”  
He felt like an idiot. She was right. He had been assuming every Earther was the same. He would have been furious if she had thought all Kalquorians were alike.  
“Again, I can only beg your pardon, Matara. Tell me how I can make this up to you.”  
“Stay the hell away from me. Stay away from all Earther women. In fact, go home. Stay with your own kind if they’re so much better trained than the rest of us!”  
She pushed away from them all and plunged into the crowd, out toward the entrance to the park. His clanmates turned to him, their faces like stone. Frell’s eyes still held some embers of compassion for him, but Zan’s were so cold he felt like an avalanche had fallen on him.   
“Well, aren’t you going to run after her?” Guilt and hurt fueled his anger. “You sure as hell don’t want to stick around a gurluck like me.”  
“I doubt she wants any Kalquorians around her right now,” Frell said quietly.   
Zan simply looked at Rejan and then turned and went off toward the pond.   
Rejan sighed. He scrubbed his face with his hands, then faced his Imdiko, grimacing. “Just how deep am I in trouble with our Nobek?”   
Frell shrugged. “Hard to say. Up to your ass, at least.”   
“Since when does Zan side with an outsider against his clan?”  
“Since the unassailable tower toppled.”  
Rejan stared at him, aghast. “You’re saying Zan’s in love with the girl?”  
“Her name is Bethany Corddray,” Frell said coolly. “And, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”  
“But he―he can’t have known her more than a week!”  
“Three and a half days.”  
“Come off of it!”  
Frell moved closer. “What did I tell you? Didn’t I say that when Zan fell, it would be monumental? Well, here it is and you’d better be prepared.”  
With that, the Imdiko stalked off, leaving him in the shadows, thunderstruck.  
A little business, a little pleasure, he’d told his clan when they’d prepared for this trip. A vacation in one of the most peaceful, pleasure-loving locations in the galaxy. A celebration of Frell’s work.  
How the hell had it all turned into such a contentious, tangled mess?  
#  
Bethany’s tears were hot with anger. As soon as she had arrived home, she’d stripped off the dress and the lingerie that Frell and Zan had given her and thrown them in the waste chute. She’d gotten in the shower and let the water pour over her as she sobbed.   
That bastard! Throwing her Earther background in her face like that! He had no idea where she came from or how hard she had worked not to fall in with the poisonous teachings of Earth’s idiotic government. And after admitting that he’d done exactly what she claimed he’d done! The man had unbelievable gall.   
Ah, God. She didn’t want to waste any more time thinking about Asshole Dramok Rejan. She didn’t want to spend any more tears on him. But Zan and Frell were a different matter. They had stood by her and she liked them so much, despite their misunderstanding and their sneaky, silly way of getting back into her good graces.   
Poor Frell! His big night had been ruined. She hoped he could salvage a little of it but from the look on his face when she’d left, he was going to be miserable no matter what. And Zan. Her big guy had been her staunch defender.   
But she couldn’t ever see them again. She knew enough about Kalquorian clans to know that clan bonds were life-long, never to be broken, between the males as well as the females. They would never betray Rejan. Clan first and always, that was their motto.  
Moreover, she didn’t think she could stand to see them again. It would hurt too much. She would always be aware that they lived with the selfish bigot who had hurt and embarrassed her. She would never feel like she could fully trust them, ever again.   
She turned off the shower and stepped into the dryer unit. The warm air blew on her flesh and she felt herself relaxing enough to stop crying.   
She looked at herself in the mirror when she was done and grimaced at her red, puffy eyes and stricken mouth. She pulled on her robe, got a compress pack from the cooling unit, then went to sit on the lounger, gently pressing the chilled packet over her eyes.   
Frell had said they’d be leaving for home soon after the gala. They were probably already packed and ready to go in the morning. She wished them well. Okay, she wished Rejan would fall and break his snooty nose, but otherwise, she wanted Frell and Zan to have a happy future with their clan. Without her.  
“Well, that’s that.” It was time to get on with her life. “She travels fastest who travels alone,” Gran used to say. Bethany had taken that for her own motto. Don’t wait for anyone to come and help you. Don’t wait for them to make up their minds. Row your own boat.   
She put away the cool pack, yawning as she went. Now that her emotions were letting down, she realized she was exhausted. She put on an old nightgown, soft and comfortable, and climbed into bed.   
Her bed smelled faintly of cinnamon, lime-scented soap, and the musk of sex. “Damn.” Her body warmed and shivered in response. Her fists clenched. “Oh, no, you don’t!”  
She got up, ripped the bedding off the bed and dumped it in her laundry basket. She grabbed a fresh coverlet from her linen closet and a new pillowcase and made up her bed with these minimal supplies. She drew in a long breath. No scent of anything other than her own laundry soap. Good. Maybe now the three men would get out of her head.  
In the morning, she made herself coffee and went straight to her desk to work on her design for Israla’s garden. She forced away thoughts of Plasian lilies or valerius stems as she selected flowers for the beds. She was going to prove herself to the Saucin and win the commission to do the gardens in the central park. She could ignore Frell’s sculpture, let it blend into the background, couldn’t she?   
She worked until she was stiff in her chair and starving for a meal. She made dinner for one and viewed an old vid while curled up on the lounger.   
The clan had left Plasius. She was free again, she told herself. She was free to do whatever she wished, whenever she wished, with no one to interfere, no one else to consider in her plans.   
She returned to her work when the vid was over and worked late into the night. When she was finished, she was smiling. It was a good design. No, it was her best design. She couldn’t wait to get started.   
A bell told her she had a text-com arriving. She switched on the vid and read the message.   
“No.” Her voice barely squeaked out the word. She shook her head, backing away from the screen. “No!”  
Moments later, she was throwing some clothes in a bag and comming for a shuttle. She took the time to grab her tablet, a toothbrush, and an extra pair of shoes, stuffing them into the bag as she banged out her door and leaped into the shuttle.   
She froze at the auto-request for destination. Her brain was spinning too fast to access an address.   
“Lake Lemurra,” she blurted. “Quickly, please.”  
The shuttle confirmed the order and skimmed away. She sat back in the seat, shaking.   
So much for freedom, she thought as the shuttle cut through the darkness. So much for her dreams.  
#  
“We have to go back,” Rejan growled. “We have jobs on Kalquor. Family. Friends.”  
“I’m not ready.” Zan’s strong jaw was set. “We’ve given Bethany some time to herself. Now it’s time for us to go to her.”  
“She’ll call security on us,” Rejan said dryly. “Or on me, at least.”  
“Yes, she probably will. But I want us all to go see her.”  
Frell watched his clanmates from where he stood in the kitchen. It had been three days since the gala and he knew Zan was getting restless to see Bethany. He had roamed their villa like a dark ghost since they’d returned from the unveiling and he was barely speaking to Rejan. Frell himself was getting anxious, wondering if she was all right.   
Rejan had hit a nerve when he’d brought up her Earther roots. He didn’t think Bethany was exactly ashamed of where she was born, but she had told him enough to know she had cut her ties there, permanently. She considered herself a citizen of Plasius. As for training, well, if Rejan had been a part of their love-making and its aftermath, he’d know that the pretty redhead was sweetly lusty and in no way repressed. In no need of drugs. She had indeed been the best Frell had ever had. He suspected it had been the same for Zan.  
He wanted that again. No, he wasn’t in love with her but she drew him, all the same. He wanted to discover if she was as good as he recalled. He wanted to share her with his clan and show her how Kalquorian men loved their women. The sounds she’d made, the way she’d tasted, the delicious satin of her skin―they were still with him. Day and night, he’d find himself drifting into a daydream in which the pretty Earther lay before them, her hands tied above her head, her slender ankles bound apart, an open feast for them. Or that she was on all fours, that lovely ass available to see and to take.   
He felt no shame in simply desiring her, love aside. He was a Kalquorian male, as well as an Imdiko. His race was not only uninhibited about sex, but powerfully driven by it. To try to deny he felt such lusts was not only impossible, it went against his basic biology and his love of his people. Without that drive in them, his race might have died out long before this. Even now, they teetered on the brink of extinction. Reproduction was imperative for Kalquorians. Sex was healthy and good. Necessary. The need to dominate a female was just as basic to them, a strong part of their makeup.  
Reverence for women, another instinct, and the sacred nature of the clan system helped keep them civilized. Domination was limited to what a Matara would accept and what the clan considered safe. For some, that was extreme, for others it was much more gentle. But physical domination and rougher play were meant to always be consensual and used solely to heighten sexual pleasure. Occasionally, physical discipline was a part of clan life, but it, too was tempered by limits. Apart from sex, females were equals, partners, respected friends and colleagues. They were full partners in clan life and society. Without these cultural laws, Kalquorian males might well turn into mindless, rutting animals, who could harm a female if they went too far.  
Not that mindless, animal rutting wasn’t fun sometimes. Frell grinned. He’d rutted happily on Bethany and she had screamed in delight and come hard, gripping him so tightly he had hardly been able to move inside her. His cocks stirred agreeably at the recollection.   
Oh, yes. By the ancestors, he wanted more of lovely, responsive Bethany Corddray.   
Frell returned to the meal he was preparing, adjusting the temperature under the fish and checking for drinks. His mind was still very much with the issue at hand, however.   
Rejan was going to have a problem with them seeing any Earther. Ever since Larke had died, he’d refused to have anything to do with Earthers, especially Earther Mataras. How he had gotten past that personal rule to engage in sex with Bethany even that one time was a surprise. He must have really been deep in the leshella bottle that night. Then again, Bethany was powerfully alluring.  
He watched Zan stalk through the breezeway that cut through the villa, stripping off his wrap cover from around his hips as he went. Frell heard a splash and knew the Nobek was in the pool, probably ready to swim laps to release some of his tension and frustration.   
Frell shook his head. Bethany looked as fragile as a butterfly, yet she had all but blown their clan apart in a matter of days.   
Frell turned off the stove, poured a cool drink and carried it into the living area to Rejan. The Dramok looked up from his tablet and nodded.  
“Thanks. Am I wrong about staying away from the girl?” It seemed his Dramok had been thinking similar thoughts to Frell’s.  
“Her name is Bethany. I don’t know if she’s ready to see any of us yet, so no, you’re not wrong. Are you right to order us not to see her? No, also.”  
Rejan threw up a hand. “I am your Dramok! Someone in this clan has to have good sense and make reasonable decisions!”  
“Thank you so much. Zan and I keep forgetting we’re morons.” Frell scowled. “What is the matter with you, Rejan? You’re insulting everyone around you.”  
“Suns.” Rejan put down the drink. “I’m sorry, Frell. You’re right. I’m being an asshole. This whole business with Matara Bethany has turned me inside out.”  
“Why didn’t you tell us what happened that night?” Frell sank to the floor and sat, cross-legged. “We could have helped.”  
Rejan shrugged. “It didn’t seem so important at the time. I thought nothing would come of it. We’d be gone in a few weeks and that would be that.”  
“But you knew you’d behaved badly, even then.”  
“Yes. I suppose I didn’t want to tell you because I was ashamed. And I was embarrassed that I broke my own rule about Earthers. But it has been at the back of my mind, gnawing at me. It makes more sense now that I know about the lilies. She was acting more intoxicated than seemed right.”  
“But how did you end up with her in the first place?”  
He spread his hands. “I’m not sure. I was sick of the scene in Israla’s ballroom. I was a little drunk. Maybe more than a little. I went out into the gardens and wandered for awhile. I came around a corner and there she was, standing in the middle of a patch of, yes, Plasian lilies. Only I didn’t know what they were at the time. She turned to me and she was so pretty, Frell. You know she is. And her smile was so welcoming and sweet. I went right up to her and she stood on tiptoe and kissed me.”  
“And one thing led to another.”  
Rejan nodded. “Before I could think, I’d picked at least half a dozen of those damned flowers and put them in her arms. She was delighted and kissed me again. I asked her if she wanted to go someplace alone with me and she said yes. I wanted her too much to care about my rules. I scooped her up, carried her off and, well, you know the rest.”  
Frell handed him his drink again. He took it and sipped.   
“I have to ask this, my Dramok. I mean no disrespect, but she was so upset by what happened. Do you think you hurt her?”  
Rejan’s head shot up. “No! No, Frell, I’m sure I didn’t. In fact, that was part of it. I wanted her to have pleasure, but I was drunk, so I must have given her too much when I bit her. I only wanted her to be comfortable. Earther women aren’t tiny, like Plasian females, but they aren’t used to Kalquorian sex organs, either. I vow, Imdiko, that I only wanted her to be comfortable. To pleasure her. I was not extreme with her in any way, that much I know for certain. She was so soft and good and it had been so long since―”   
He halted, looking down into his drink. Frell waited for him to go on.   
“Well, you and Zan both know how good it is to make love to her. Now you know why Earther women are desired for more than just their reproductive compatibility with us.”  
“My cocks are still smiling.”  
Rejan snorted, then grew serious again. “Frell, I know I didn’t hurt her. I may have frightened her because I was so aroused, but I didn’t bind her, I didn’t spank her, I didn’t use any toys on her. I just had sex with her. Several times, yes, but just simple sex.”  
“I think it was the sense of being out of control that bothered her. And you were her first Kalquorian. She isn’t afraid of sex, Rejan. She likes it very much and she responds with all of her being. But you didn’t give her a choice of whether or not she wanted to participate. She was too drugged to understand anything much beyond that. That can be more terrifying than physical pain for some.”  
“I know. And then I just walked out on her.” Rejan groaned. “I can’t believe I was that much of a rat bastard.”  
Frell choked. “Rat bastard?” he chortled. “Since when do you use Earther slang?”  
“Since she called me that and I knew she was right.”   
Rejan finished his drink. Frell held out his hand for the glass. “So, why did you turn into a rat bastard after such good sex?”  
“I was looking at her. She was asleep on the lounger, or I thought she was asleep. I didn’t know she was unconscious! There she was, so unbelievably delicious, with her lovely hair spread around her, her beautiful breasts right there, and with her lips all swollen from kissing, and I thought something like, ‘what a wonderful girl you are, little Earther.’ That was when it all came crashing back. Earther females with their shrieking and cringing and their horror of sex. I knew she had been drinking and I had bitten her. I assumed she was just temporarily agreeable to sex.”  
“You thought she’d wake up, see a big, ugly alien naked in bed with her and she’d go into a screaming fit?”  
“Ugly?”  
Frell grinned. “Well, what else would a repressed Earther think of a Kalquorian?”   
“Watch yourself,” Rejan growled. “But yes, that’s exactly what I thought. I panicked and I ran. Afterward, I couldn’t have found her even if I’d wanted to, because I had no idea who she was. What are the Fates up to that she ran into you and Zan?”   
“We ran into her, actually. But maybe the Fates wanted to put things back into balance.” Frell unfolded himself to stand up. “Maybe you’re supposed to put this right before we leave here.”  
“You like her?” Rejan rose to walk with him to the kitchen.   
Frell smiled. “I do.”  
“And Zan? You still think he’s in love with her?”   
“I’m more certain than ever. Look at him out there.” Frell nodded toward the windows that overlooked the pool. “He’s driving himself physically so he doesn’t have to think about her. He’s distracted and moody. He’s rock hard all night long.”  
“I know. I offered. He refused me.”  
“Don’t take it too seriously. He refused me, too. He doesn’t want simple release from a clanmate.”  
“He wants Bethany.”  
Frell bent and took the bread out of the oven. He set it on the warming stone, wrapped in a clean cloth. He saw that Rejan was still staring out the window. “Time to go see her?”  
Rejan sighed. “Yes. I’ve been a coward long enough. I need to make amends.” He turned. “But what will we do when we have to go home? Do you think this will blow over with Zan?”  
“It might.”  
“I hope so. I’m not ready to fight with him if he wants to take her with us.”  
“Go call him in to dinner and get cleaned up. Let’s allow her one more night’s space and then we’ll go see her in the morning.”  
Rejan nodded and smiled. “Thank you for listening, my Imdiko. Your wise heart is a blessing to our clan.”  
Frell basked in his praise as Rejan went outside. It had only been four years since they had clanned him, and they’d only known him for a year before that, a relatively short time to decide to clan someone. He admired both Rejan and Zan so much and he loved them so deeply that sometimes it almost hurt. Being clanned with them was the most important thing in his life. He wanted to help them in any way he could.   
This was going to be the acid test, he thought as he set the table. As caregiver of the clan, it fell to him to make peace, and to tend to their emotional and physical well-being. Helping Zan through his first love, a love that had been tainted by Rejan’s mistake, not to mention his sad experience on Earth, was going to be a tough problem. He needed to find ways to maintain their equilibrium. That meant he might have to back off from Bethany himself. The idea made him suddenly sad.  
But Rejan wasn’t ready to have a Matara. He might never be ready for an Earther, even one as unusual as Bethany. Frell himself wasn’t sure if he was ready to take on that vital challenge. But Zan might be ready. If he was honest, he’d say this thing with Zan wasn’t likely to just blow over, despite what he’d said to Rejan.  
If Zan wanted to clan her, things were going to get very rough.   
He smiled, however, as his clanmates gathered at the table, taking seats on the cushions around it. They were the best men in the galaxy. He would see all of them through this. He would do whatever it took or die in the attempt.


	13. Thirteen

ALIEN HEART (and by the way, thanks again to Tracy St. John for creating such a great world!)  
Chapter Thirteen  
Bethany peeked out the slit in the curtains. She’d thought she heard a noise but it had most likely been an animal. There were all kinds of creatures out here in the wilds around the lake, she was learning, but she wasn’t sure which ones were dangerous and which were friendly.   
She wasn’t worried about danger from animals, though. Not Plasian animals, anyway. She was worried about human animals. Earthers.   
God, she hated feeling like a coward.   
She pressed the curtains back into place and turned to look around the dim little cabin. Everything was silent. Three days and nights she’d been hidden here and it didn’t get any more inviting.   
When she’d run from her apartment, she’d taken the shuttle to Lake Lemurra, but she’d hiked far into the giant smoke-tree forest until she’d found this abandoned cabin. It was small and unfurnished except for the bed in the corner. She had aired out the mattress and turned it over, then found an old coverlet in the lone cupboard. She’d shaken that out over the back deck, making sure there were no critters hidden in its folds, then made up the bed with it and put one of her tops on it for a cushion.   
Com reception out here was spotty but that didn’t bother her. In fact, it was perfect. She didn’t want any coms. Not after the message that sent her out here in the first place.  
“Dear Bethany Corddray,” it had read, “Your time here on Plasius is coming to an end. We’ve seen you and what you do. You are a disgrace to all of Earth and you need to be taken in hand. Your papers for transport to Earth are all in order and the female who rules this planet has agreed that you must go there so there will not be trouble for her. Do not try to contact your so-called friends. They will not help you escape. We have right on our side and we will see that you and your kind are stopped. There can be no other way. Be ready, Bethany. You will have nowhere to hide.”  
She knew it by heart now, but it was still there, in her com files. She’d thought she could trace it but then she recalled something she’d heard when she was working for the ambassador. Seeking them out would lead them right to you. She had let it drop.  
She went to the little sink in the tiny kitchen and scooped water into her hand for a drink. She wished she knew who the hell had sent the com to her. Was it from some Earther authorities, somehow left intact after the war with Kalquor? Was it some renegade group, who sought to terrorize all those they saw as traitors to Earth? Or some crazed purity faction, trying to force the old laws on Earthers who had long since left the planet? Or could it be just some lone nutjob who had it in for her?  
She moaned as she sat down on the bed again. She didn’t know what was going on or how someone had gained access to her private com link. It left her feeling exposed and vulnerable. She tried to summon up some strength. “It might be nothing. It might have just been a prank.”  
Prank? As in, joke? Like her two jokers, Zan and Frell? No. It couldn’t have been them, just teasing her. They’d never do something this heinous. If this was a prank, it was probably something random cooked up by bored adolescents. Or some sicko.  
“Do not try to contact your so-called friends. They will not help you escape.”  
She chewed her lower lip. Which friends? Did they mean the Zan and Frell and yes, even Rejan? Or did they mean Plasians? Or even Earthers from her days in the embassy, the men she’d dated after Carter had introduced them? God, it was just impossible to tell. If Earthers had sent this com, their retribution against a woman--female--they thought to be a traitor as well as a slut would be horrible. Did they object to her seeing Kalquorians? She’d been with Earthers and Plasian males, too. Did it matter?  
If she went back to her cottage, but she’d be an easy target in the capital. If she could hold out long enough, she might make her way out to the countryside and catch a produce transport to the docks and sneak off Plasius on a shipper. She could elude them, maybe go to one of the colonies.  
“Oh, Lord, what am I thinking?”   
When had she become such a wuss? She was strong. Independent. A survivor. She needed to get a grip and make a plan.   
But first, she needed to quiet her growling stomach. She peered out of the curtain again. Maybe there were some fruits or berries further out that she could eat. Seeds or nuts, too. She’d hiked in the hills around Gran’s place often enough and she’d learned to discern what foods were edible and which were poisonous, etc. She didn’t know much about Plasian wild plants but she’d do her best. She had to or she’d starve. And if she was going back to the capital to face these bastards, whoever they were, she needed some fuel.  
She took up the stout piece of wood she’d found on the narrow back deck and crept down the steps. She looked everywhere, all around the outside of the cabin but she saw nothing and no one. She found a narrow trail and followed it, going further into the warm, silent forest.   
#  
“I think it’s clear she doesn’t want to see us. Or she simply isn’t here.”  
Rejan and the others had rung the chimes at the door of Bethany’s apartment again and again and there was no answer. Zan had tried to see in, but the blinds were all drawn. They heard no movement inside. The morning heat was building as they stood, staring at the door. Zan looked worried, Rejan saw. Frell looked dejected.   
“Let’s come back later,” he told his clan. “She’s probably working and she’ll be home when she’s done.”  
“No.” Zan took hold of the door handle, gave it a hard twist, and the door sprang open. He growled even as they went inside. “The security here is pathetic. We should have told her. It’s not safe for her.”   
Rejan gave him a hard look. “You’ve broken into her place before?”  
“Long story.” Frell stopped in the hallway, gazing at the wall, wearing a bemused expression.  
“What is it?”   
Frell turned away. “Nothing. Another long story.”  
“I see I’m going to have to have a long conversation with you both.” Rejan prowled into the dim living space.  
Zan turned in the center of the room. “Bethany?”   
No answer. His Nobek strode away from Rejan, following the narrow hall to her sleeping room. The door was open. On her sleeping mat lay several items of clothing, tossed aside, and drawers stood open. Rejan heard Frell checking the bath.   
“No one there.” He shook his head. “But it looks like she packed and left in a big hurry. Bethany’s gone.”  
Zan stood like a carven image. “She ran from us?”  
Rejan lifted his hand. “Is it all that surprising? After the shitty things I did to her? I’m sorry, my Nobek.”  
“She wouldn’t have run.”  
The Dramok heard the steel under Zan’s voice. He was fighting the truth.   
“She ran from you at the gala.” He spoke as gently as he could.   
“Because she thought we had tricked her.” Frell was pinching his lower lip. “And she made up with us before we went to the reception.”  
“But then I fucked it all up again.”   
Rejan walked from the bedroom to the kitchen. Shit, could he have made a bigger mess? Zan looked like he’d lost, well, like he’d lost a lifemate. Frell looked like he’d been kicked. What now?  
“She packed fast.” Frell sounded as if he was speaking to himself.   
Zan turned and faced the Imdiko, who stood in the kitchen doorway, frowning. “She did.”  
“Probably couldn’t get away fast enough.” Rejan went to peer out the kitchen windows.   
“Her bed has been slept in but not made. Her clothes are on the bed and on the floor. Look at the rest of this place. Bethany keeps her home in order.” Frell went to the living area again. He lifted a cup from the table in one corner. “She was drinking the coffee beverage Earthers seem to like. But only half of. She left it sitting here.”  
“Fine. She made up her mind and left.” Rejan shrugged. “I don’t know what else to think.”  
Zan stalked across the room to her com center. He called up the last coms she’d sent.   
“My Nobek, I don’t think she’d like having you going into her private data.” Rejan shifted nervously but drew closer. “I don’t like it, either.”  
“She hasn’t tried to hide them. Her last com was to call a shuttle.”  
“That makes sense, since it looks like she packed for a trip.” Frell came to stand at Rejan’s side.  
Zan turned and sprinted from the cottage. He returned at once with his own tablet. In a matter of seconds, he had it connected to Bethany’s system.   
“There. There’s the number of the shuttle server she called. It was at very early hours, two days ago.”  
Rejan scowled at the screen. “She left in the middle of the night.”  
Frell leaned in. “Can you go back farther?”  
“Yes, give me a second.” Zan tapped in some codes. Entries whirled across the screen and then into the air in holographic form above his tablet. Rejan watched him scan them, rapid-fire. “There isn’t much. There was another shuttle call, the night of the gala. It must have been the one she took to the park. She was here that night. And the next day. Then, suddenly, she throws things into a bag and races off.”  
Rejan felt uneasiness unfurl within him. “Com the shuttle she called two days ago.”  
Zan obeyed at once. The server confirmed they sent a shuttle out at that same time. Zan tried to find out where it went but the information was privacy-blocked. He paused a moment, then tapped in more code.   
“There.” He pointed to the row of numbers. “There’s the shuttle that came her to pick her up. It didn’t return for another two hours.”  
“She lives in the center of the capital. Where would she go at that hour?” Frell tapped on the wall. “It’s clear the shuttle didn’t return here with her, right?”  
Zan nodded. “Yes. See?” He hummed, then entered more numbers. “Ah. I’ve got it. These are the coordinates for where the shuttle went. Let me send them to mapping.”  
“Lake Lemurra.” Rejan looked at Frell. “Why there?”  
“I don’t know.” Frell put his hand on Zan’s shoulder. “You took her sailing there, right?”  
“You took her sailing?” Rejan closed his eyes. He had been left out of the loop. “Never mind. Is that the marina you sailed from?”  
“No. We sailed from across the lake. Way over here.” He pointed. “She didn’t say she’d ever been there before but I took it for granted she hadn’t. She didn’t say anything about being over on the north end, either.”  
Frell bit his lip. “I don’t like this.”  
“Hold.” Rejan looked at them both. “She may have had a call from a lover and rushed off to meet him. Or from a friend. We don’t know anything.”  
Zan made a face. He clearly didn’t want to think about Bethany having another lover. Rejan felt sad that his Nobek would be hurt.  
“Check with Israla.”  
Rejan turned to Frell. “Why?”  
“Bethany’s here under the protection of the Saucin, I’ll wager. You met her at Israla’s party, didn’t you, Rejan?”  
“And she’s working on a garden for the Saucin!” Zan’s fingers flew over the display. “Here. I’ve linked with the Saucin’s assistant.”  
The face of a handsome young man filled the screen. “Greetings, Nobek. How may I help you?”  
Zan glanced at Rejan. Rejan nodded for him to speak.   
“I am Nobek Zan of Clan Rejan. I need information about an employee of the Saucin’s. She works in the gardens. Her name is Bethany Corddray.”  
“Forgive me, but is this a legal matter?”  
“No. Personal. We are friends and she is missing. For nearly three days. We wish to know if she has been at work.”  
“Again, forgive me. I need to gain approval from my superior before I can share that information.”  
The face blinked out and an image of a Plasian landscape filled his place. Frell paced. Zan’s gaze was riveted to the screen. Rejan was tempted to put out his hand and cut off the link. Even if she hadn’t been to work, it didn’t mean she wasn’t with someone else at the lake.  
The young man reappeared. “Your pardon for keeping you waiting. The Saucin says you may have this information. Bethany Corddray has not been to work in six days. She has leave to set her own working hours.”  
Zan thanked the assistant and broke the link. “I need to check her links list.”  
“Again, she can bring charges against us,” Rejan warned. Please, please let them find out she was with another lover or lovers, he prayed. Let this pain be swift and clean for his Nobek’s sake.   
“She has few local contacts. There is one, the name of a female Plasian called Lanth.”  
Rejan’s hand shot out. “Wait. Think about this first, Zan. Do you truly wish to know where she’s gone and with whom?”  
Zan frowned. “You don’t understand. She wouldn’t lie to me. She wouldn’t just run away.”  
Rejan looked to Frell. The Imdiko only crossed his arms. He was going to be no help in this.   
“You don’t know her well enough--”  
“And you don’t know her at all.”  
“Yes, but--”  
“Didn’t you see?”  
Rejan’s brows drew together. “See what?”  
Zan tapped the tablet again and the map of Lake Lemurra appeared. He pointed where the coordinates showed the shuttle had delivered Bethany. “Look.” Zan zoomed in closer. “Where would she be, Rejan?”  
Rejan peered at the display. His expression cleared but a new worry sprang up. “That’s the middle of nowhere. In the woods.”  
“Right. Bethany raced out of here in the small hours, while it was still dark, and ran into the woods. Alone.”  
“Let’s go.”  
They were out of Bethany’s home and in their shuttle in seconds. Rejan piloted while Zan plotted navigation and began bringing up maps and aerial views of the area. Frell was quiet and his usually sanguine expression was plainly upset.   
He might well regret his immediate response to the news that the Earther was in the woods, on the run, but he couldn’t help it. It was somehow automatic that he and his clan should search for her. Protect her.   
Yet, by all the ancestors, if he was wrong, this could be the worst decision he’d ever made.  
#  
Bethany looked down at the square of wood she was using as a plate and groaned. Some very anemic-looking berries, a few bitter nuts, and some tufts of a lettuce-like grass huddled together on the plate, as if for support.   
“What am I doing?”  
She took one of the berries. She was too hungry to refuse but her eyes narrowed as she chewed. When had she lost her backbone? Why was she hiding in this shack, nibbling on roots and bark? How had she come so far from the woman who strove to get off of Earth and make a new life on a distant planet? Where was the proud ex-patriate now?  
She glanced around the dusty, dim space. She was hiding. Shaking in fear.   
“Dammit, I’m not a wuss! Hell’s bells, I slugged a Kalquorian twice my size!”  
That night with the clan seemed very far away and long ago. She’d been furious with them, especially Rejan, but really, they were nothing compared to the bastards who were terrorizing her. Zan and Frell had been friends--lovers--and they’d never done anything to harm her. Rejan was an asshat, but she’d survived and go on with her life.   
A small smile played at her lips as she chewed on a leaf of the green stuff. She’d gone on with her life with two more Kalquorians, wonderful men who made her feel like a queen and like their dearest friend at the same time. They’d treated her like she belonged with them. When had that ever happened to her, at least since Gran had passed when Bethany was in her first year of college? Even with Gran, she’d been the one her parents abandoned, going off on mysterious jaunts that grew longer and longer and finally, she realized they were never coming back for her. When she’d been with Frell and Zan, that long loneliness had faded, for the first time in a very long time. She taken her fate in her own hands and found a whole new world.   
So, what was she doing now, cowering in the woods?  
Her gaze strayed to her com unit where it lay on the bed. The horrible threat was still there, reaching out to make her heart slam against her chest just with the memory of the words. She was cowering in the woods because she knew that whoever had sent that message would not pop out from behind a screen and shout, Just Kidding! If they were Earthers, they had brutal punishments for her, including dragging her back to Earth forever. Women were tortured, publicly whipped and humiliated, mutilated, forced to work in labor camps for crimes against Earth’s moral codes. As for the purity fanatics, well, Kalquorians couldn’t claim the moral high ground, either. They’d been known to burn people’s homes, kidnap Earther women and dump them on desolate moons, even murder the ones they thought were trying to lead Kalquorian men astray, to the ruination of their race. True, it was a much smaller faction than the remnants of old Earth, but their methods of punishing those who crossed them were just as brutal.   
Bethany slumped. Not hiding would be stupid, wouldn’t it? She had every right and reason to protect herself. They would make good on their threats if they found her.   
She tried a nut and choked. It tasted like motor oil blended with pancake batter. Nasty. She spat it out and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She scowled down at her makeshift dinner plate. The problem with hiding here was that she was likely to starve to death before she reached a time when she thought it might be safe to venture out and find a way off Plasius. That, or just rot away from lack of a shower. Trivial in the grand scheme of things, but hey, if she was having a pity party, she ought to make it good.   
She frowned. “Self-pity, that’s what this is about--”  
A sound from outside froze her. Her heart sped up again but she controlled her breathing so she could hear. Had that been a twig snapping? Had it been a wild animal? Or worse?  
She strained to hear, every muscle tensed. When several minutes passed and she heard nothing more, she cautiously reached out and ate another berry. It was overripe but not horrible.  
She shook herself. “All right, Corddray. Time to break out the big girl panties.”   
She was wallowing here. She wasn’t going to let the bastards win without a fight. She had some power. She was on her way to becoming a Plasian citizen. She was under the official protection of the Saucin herself. She was friends with the Saucin’s consort. She hadn’t come this far to be defeated.  
She carried her wooden plate to the kitchen area and dumped the remains. Wiping her hands, she looked around the cabin and nodded. Marching across to the bed built her feeling of strength. She gathered up the few things she’d brought with her and tucked them into her bag. She was going home.   
Spine straight, head up, she walked to the front door. And heard the footstep on the porch. No mistaking it this time. She halted, staring at the door handle as if she were a rabbit and it were a snake. Slowly, carefully, she eased her bag to the floor and reached for her stick. As silently as possible, she backed away, heading for the back door. She paused and listened.   
Oh, God. Another twig snapped, this time at the back of the cabin. They either knew she was there or there was more than one of them.   
Suddenly, she was very sick of hiding and being afraid.   
She returned to the front, raised her stick and reached for the handle. They were going to get a fight from her.   
Here goes nothing.  
#  
“Bethany!”  
Zan caught the stick in mid-swing, startled by the strength with which the dainty Matara wielded it. He stopped her easily but all the same, he was impressed.   
And so relieved. He stared down at her, hardly believing his eyes.   
“You’re all right?” His voice sounded weak, somehow.   
“Zan?” She blinked up at him. She looked as startled as he was, only she looked so scared, the dark smudges under her eyes also saying she’d gone without sleep for some time.   
He peered in behind her. The cabin was dingy and ramshackle and smelled of decay. It also smelled of his pretty girl, her special sweet scent that he knew as well as any other scent in the universe. She’d been here the whole time?  
“Are you all right?”   
Her answer was all he could have hoped. She flung herself into his arms and held onto him with trembling strength. He wrapped his arms around her and simply stood, his cheek resting atop her head. His Bethany was safe and she was not hiding from him.   
At last, he was aware of the other eyes watching. He lifted his head and nodded at Frell and Rejan. Frell bounded forward, but Rejan hung back. Zan handed her to his Imdiko, feeling his chest loosen at the sight of his little beloved hugging Frell as hard as she had hugged him.   
“Sweet girl, we’ve been so worried!”   
Frell, being Frell, moved back and began to run his hands all over Bethany. “You’re all in one piece? No one’s hurt you?”  
She gave a choked little laugh. “I’m okay, really.”  
Zan snorted and moved to ease Frell back before he devoured their darling girl. Frell gave in easily, a worried frown forming.   
“She’s been starving, my Nobek. And she’s been badly stressed. She needs safety and rest.”  
Zan nodded. “You will come home with us, little one.”  
Her eyes went wide and she backed away. “No. I can’t. You have to go. It isn’t safe.”  
Zan felt Rejan behind him. His Dramok spoke with quiet authority. “Tell us why, Bethany.”   
She jumped, but she answered immediately. “I--someone’s hunting for me. I can’t let you be caught with me. I need to leave Plasius.”  
“I believe you.” Rejan moved closer. “Tell us who is hunting you.”  
“I don’t know.” She swallowed hard and Zan growled deep in his throat. She was terrified.   
Frell put his hand out to her. “Why did you run, sweetness?”  
“You could have come to us.”   
Zan saw her stare up at Rejan. She bit her lip but Rejan was firm. “I would never withhold help from you, Matara. My clan would keep you safe.”  
She chewed on a fingertip. She was clearly debating how much she could trust the Dramok.  
“Thank you. But I don’t want you involved. It isn’t safe to be around me. They’ll hurt you and I couldn’t stand that--”   
She broke off with a little hitch in her voice. Zan pulled her back into his arms. “You are kind to worry about us, but we can protect ourselves. And you.”  
She shook her head even as she burrowed into his embrace. “You don’t know.”  
“Bethany. Look at me.”   
All three of them stared at Rejan. His chin was up and his manner was utterly commanding. Zan felt Bethany suddenly straighten and meet Rejan’s eyes. Something occurred to him but he left it for later.   
“Bethany, we’re going to our shuttle now and we’re taking you home. You can tell us all about what’s happened on the way. Get your things.”  
She moved to obey, then stopped. “They know where I live.” Her voice was scarcely a whisper.   
Rejan nodded. “I’m sure. That’s why you’re going to our home.” She opened her mouth to protest but Rejan’s look was iron. She shivered once more, then turned to gather up her bag, which had spilled on the cabin floor.   
Zan looked at Frell. Frell’s brows raised. They both looked at Rejan but the steely look on their clanmate’s face told them he wasn’t entertaining questions or comment or suggestions. They were taking Bethany home with them.   
“All right.”   
Zan wanted to scoop her up and carry her, she looked like such a lost waif with her little bag and leaves in her hair. If he did, though, he was fairly sure she wouldn’t be happy. His pretty girl had her pride, after all. He settled for leading the way, his clanmates flanking her as they retraced their steps to the narrow meadow which was the closest place they could find to land their shuttle. He tamped down his fury that anyone would dare to threaten Bethany, funneling his natural, savage rage into making sure his senses were alert to any danger to her or to his clan. He stood guard as Frell helped her board the shuttle, then waited for Rejan to go ahead.   
Rejan looked like he was about to speak, then thought better of it. He climbed aboard and with a last sweep of the area behind him, Zan followed.  
He’d flown the shuttle out. Frell and Rejan were placating him, he knew, trying to distract him by occupying him with piloting out to the woods. Now he gave a look to Frell and his Imdiko grinned and moved to the controls. Frell was by far the best pilot of the three and he loved being at the command.  
Zan sat down beside Bethany. She looked up at him with haunted green eyes and he wanted once more to kill someone. But right now, it was more important that she be comforted and cared for. Without a word, he swept her up, set her on his lap, and cuddled her close. Just holding her seemed to knit up the damage done when he’d thought he’d lost her. He let his body impart warmth to her and felt her shaking begin to ease.   
Rejan met his eyes over her head, then looked away, watching the woods shrink below them on the projection wall. His Dramok hadn’t wanted to be with Bethany, hadn’t wanted him or Frell to be with her, either. Yet he’d joined their search, helped every step of the way and when she had balked at accepting help, he’d turned on his Dramok domination and their sweet girl had followed like a lamb. It was Rejan who’d offered to have her in their home--insisted on it, actually. Did it mean his clanmate was softening toward her?  
Bethany sighed and relaxed some more. He put his finger under her chin and lifted it.   
“You’re sure you’re not hurt?”  
She nodded. “I’m sure. I--I just got scared, is all. I panicked.”  
Her look of shame hurt him. “Everyone gets scared, sometime.” He rubbed her back.  
“You don’t.”  
He studied her gravely. “I was very scared when I learned you’d run into the woods.”  
“I can’t believe you came after me.” Her glance flickered to Rejan, then back.   
“We went to your house to apologize. When you weren’t there, we were worried. We would never stop looking for you.” He pulled her in closer, still not sure she was real, and safe in his arms.   
“I don’t want to be trouble for you.”  
He flashed a smile at her. “We love trouble. Keeps us alert.”  
Her response was a sweet kiss, soft as a snowflake. He felt a wave of eager warmth spread through him, some of it good, lively lust and some of it something more, something he hadn’t brought himself to admit just yet.   
“We love trouble,” he said firmly.


	14. Fourteen

ALIEN HEART  
based on Tracy St. John's Kalquor series  
Chapter 14  
The clan’s villa was a showplace, appointed with sleek, simple furniture in desert colors and equipped with every luxury. Bethany noticed that everything was in Kalquorian proportions, including the swimming pool in the back garden. If she hadn’t been so weary, she would have dived in at once and let the water carry her for an hour or more. But she likely would have fallen asleep and drowned.   
Frell showed her to a guest suite and Zan brought in her bags. Rejan stood outside the door, looking concerned and a little lost. She really ought to forgive him after all he and the others had done to find her, but she just wasn’t ready. There was plenty more she needed to consider but right now, she was desperate for sleep. She gave Frell and Zan soft kisses and thanked all of them again, then closed the door. She shucked her grubby jeans and tee shirt and did a quick sponge-off before donning her soft, old nightgown and crawling onto the huge sleeping mat. She switched off the light and snuggled into the soft, clean bedding.   
Three men who were at risk because of her stood guard around her tonight. Three men had made the effort to find her and bring her to their home. She was grateful for what they’d done and she would find a way to thank them tomorrow. But she also had to find a way to protect them. The notion of being the protector of three giant males was enough to make her smile, but she meant to keep her word. They didn’t deserve to be in danger because of her.  
With that, she sank out of sight into an ocean of exhausted sleep. She slept through the night and late into the next morning, too worn to realize how safe she felt in this place, with these three men. She woke to soft kisses and someone stroking her breast. Her eyelids fluttered up. Frell greeted her with his best bad boy grin.   
“I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to see if you were really here.” He petted her everywhere, as if checking to see if she was real. She shoved him back gently, giggling.   
“I’m really here. Thanks to you guys.” She gave his cheek a quick kiss.   
Zan appeared, his eyes anxious. “Are you all right? Did you sleep well?”  
She beckoned and he laid down on her other side. She kissed his cheek, too. “I slept very well, thank you. And I’m all right. Glad to be out of the woods.”  
He wrapped his arms around her and cuddled her close. “Don’t disappear again, Matara. We were so worried.”  
Frell pressed against her back as Zan held her close. Zan kissed her deeply, his mouth doing his usual magic. Frell slipped his hands up under her nightgown and stroked her bottom. She was heating quickly. This was happening too fast. She wasn’t ready for both of them.  
“Wait!” She pulled back from Zan’s delicious kiss. “This is too much right now. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to me.” She grinned. “Plus, I’m starving. I’ve been living on nuts and berries for days.” She sniffed a lock of her hair. “Eew. And I need a shower, asap.”  
“A-sap?”  
“Stands for as soon as possible.”  
“Ah.” Frell tumbled gracefully off the bed and rose to his feet. “We have just what you need.”  
“But we need to--”  
Zan slid off the bed and stripped. Her heart thumped at the sight of his magnificent body emerging. When he was nude, he scooped her up in his arms. “I’ll take her to the pool.”  
“I’ll get food.” Frell sped off.   
“The pool?” She held on to her warm, strong Zan as he carried her down the hall. “You’re sure you want someone as filthy as me in your swimming pool?”  
“You would be welcome if you were covered in mud. But this is something else.”  
They rounded a corner and went out to the back garden. To her right was the lovely swimming pool she’d seen last night, sparkling in the sun. To her left, she saw a grotto of sorts, with a natural-looking pool and a cascading waterfall. Plants grew all around it and there was a tray of bottles and tubes sitting on a ledge to one side.   
He stopped, stripped her quickly, then took her up again. He walked straight down the steps into the pool with her still held close to his chest. He set her down onto a ledge and she sighed as blissfully clean, warm water rose up to her armpits.  
“Oh, Zan, this is fabulous! A Kalquorian bathtub, yes?”  
“Bathing pool, yes.” He looked at the tray. “You like mint grass?”  
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never used it.”  
“I think you will like it. We brought it with us.” He snagged a tube and wrapped an arm around her waist. He slid around to the waterfall and gently backed her up so she could lean back and get wet. He drew her back to him, between his legs, and began to wash her hair.  
“Zan, I can do that!”  
“I know you can. But I will this time.”  
“I’m perfectly capable―”  
He growled. “My pool. My rules.”  
She blinked up at him. “Oh-Kayyy. If ya gotta, ya gotta.”  
“I don’t follow. But I understand okay. You are sweet to allow me to take care of you.”  
She snorted. “Don’t have much choice, do I?”  
He chuckled. “No.”  
He massaged her scalp and leaned her into the waterfall again to rinse her off. He kept his big hand over her forehead to keep the water out of her eyes. She was warming up to this pampering stuff. When he was done with her hair, he took her back between his legs and took up another of the minty-green scented tubes. He squirted some on his palms, worked up a lather and began to soap her everywhere.   
“Ohh.” She sighed as he slicked over her breasts and down her belly. He stroked down her arms and slipped over her back and neck. He added more soap and gently washed between her legs, going over and over her feminine flesh until she began to moan. He left off there and washed her legs and feet, rubbing her soles and toes with the skill of a reflexologist. He lifted her up slightly and clearly enjoyed himself slipping his hands all over her bottom and along her cleft.  
“I don’t suppose you left anything for me to wash.” Frell carried a tray to poolside.   
“You didn’t really expect me to wait, did you?” Zan pulled Bethany under the waterfall to rinse off.   
“How are you doing, darling girl?”  
“Mmm.” She loved the feeling of the warm water sluicing over her and Zan’s hands holding her in place. “I think I just turned to liquid. I might go down the drain.”   
Frell laughed, stripped, and came into the water. He gathered her to him. He wiped her face and hair with a towel, then handed her a drink. Now it was his turn to draw her between his legs, one hand on her breast as he fed her with his other hand.   
“Oh, this is yummy. You’re a fantastic cook.” She licked her lips.   
Zan’s hand stroked over her thigh. “Frell is the best.”  
“I am. Ask anyone.”   
She snorted. “Modest much?”  
He shrugged. “Just stating the facts.” He popped another bit of fruit into her mouth. “You are dehydrated and undernourished, sweetest. I checked you while you were asleep. You need to eat all of this and drink up.”  
“No problem.”   
“That’s my good girl.” He fed her, then set down the tray and wound his hands in her hair, pulling her head back for a long, hot, demanding kiss. She squirmed on the step. Her body was heating so fast she feared the pool might start steaming and bubbling.   
Zan didn’t cool things down. His hand slid up over her thigh and cupped her mound. She gasped against Frell’s mouth as Zan began to stroke her most feminine places.   
God, she remembered now why she’d hadn’t been able to choose between them, even though it made her feel awkward and guilty. Frell’s naughty kisses, Zan’s incredible touch, their big, smooth bodies…  
What was she doing? Two of them? Two Kalquorians? They’d eat her alive!   
But they had rescued her. Brought her here. Fine. She was grateful. It didn’t mean she had to have group sex. She wasn’t trading sexual favors for help.   
“Bethany!” Frell’s voice snapped her attention back to the two men. He peered into her eyes. “Where were you?”  
“I―I was just a little overwhelmed.”  
Zan left off his stroking, but kept his hand between her legs. “Is being with both of us too much?”   
“No, of course n―”  
“Bethany.” Frell’s gentle voice was edged with steel. “Tell us the truth.”  
She gulped. Darned Imdiko skills. He could read her mind, she just knew it. And he knew she wanted to please him. He could see what was in her face. So, why was she lying?  
“Bethany.” Zan’s voice wasn’t just edged with steel. It was steel through and through.   
“All right. Yes. I’m scared. You’re both so big. And I’ve never done anything...you know.”  
“We know what?” Frell sat back, arms crossed.  
“Never had more than one man make love to me at one time.” The words came out in a rush. Jeez, could she sound any more like a wuss? So much for Plasian sophistication and anti-Earth rebellion.  
“Ah.” Zan’s hand slid out from between her legs. She fought the sudden urge to whine about the loss. “Sweet Bethany, you know we would never do anything to hurt you.”  
“Not unless you wanted us to,” Frell amended. His wicked eyes flashed.   
“I―it wasn’t easy with either of you, last times.” She felt her cheeks coloring up. “It’s like you said, Zan. I’m not very big and you guys are real...darn big.”  
Frell’s smile widened. “What a nice compliment, sweet one.”  
More heat flooded her cheeks. “I wasn’t...oh, you know...I keep thinking you might crush me.”  
Zan’s arm was around her in a flash. “You are afraid, then?” His brows knit together. “You fear you cannot accommodate two Kalquorians?”  
She nodded. She tried to evade Zan’s eyes only to be confronted with Frell’s. His look had gone from wicked to tender in a flash. He cupped her chin.   
“Sweet one, we know how to make love to you.”  
“But you both said you’d never had an Earther before.”  
“We hadn’t. Until we met you.” Zan’s lips grazed her ear and she felt the light touch all the way along her spine.   
“Are you willing to trust that we will take good care of you?” Frell’s hand found hers. “That’s all we ask.” He took her hand and put it on one of his very hard, very erect cocks. “We enjoyed our time with you separately. Very much. And we want you very much, little one. Together.”  
Her fingers curled around his hard flesh, unable to resist touching that velvety skin and pulsing heat. He closed his eyes and smiled. “Heavenly, darling girl.”  
She looked up to see Zan watching her. The want in his remarkable eyes was naked, genuine. She had thought about this, about having the two of them together. And sex with each of them had been fantastic. Mind-blowing. A cold thought hit her.  
“What about Rejan?” The Dramok was in the house right now. How could they take her to bed while he was alone?  
She caught a brief look of sadness in Zan’s face, then it was gone. “He knows we desire you. He would not fault us for wanting sex with such a sweet female.”  
“Still, it seems kind of rude…”  
Frell kissed her cheek. “You have a kind heart.”  
“And good manners.” Zan smiled and took her other hand. He gently placed it over his cock. His erection was every bit as emphatic as Frell’s. They certainly got right to the point.  
She felt a zing of desire. They were so gorgeous. So nice. They’d never given her cause to doubt them. She bit her lip. She wanted this, but it was so scary.   
Oh, for God’s sake, Bethany! They just want to have sex, not beat you up and sell you into slavery.  
She took a firmer hold on both of them, and pumped, up, then down. Both closed their eyes, joy clearly written on their faces. She took a deep breath, then let it out. “All right.”  
They both dived at her, wrapping their arms around her until she was engulfed in huge warm bodies. She began laughing as they both kissed her face about a dozen times. Man, these guys knew how to make a girl feel wanted.   
She lifted her hands and gently pushed them back. “Just, go slow, okay? It’s all new to me.”  
Frell stroked one of her breasts while Zan nibbled at her neck. Desire shivered through her again.   
“We will make sure you are very happy,” Frell whispered.   
“We will take good care of you,” Zan said.   
Together, they lifted her up out of the bathing pool and Frell tucked her into Zan’s arms. With his typical naughtiness, her stroked her bottom and grinned. “Let’s go play.”  
Her jaw dropped when she saw their room. It was almost wall to wall bed. The deep red coverlet stretched out for yards and the whole thing looked as puffy as clouds. Zan carried her in and set her down carefully on the edge. Frell climbed around and sat behind her as Zan knelt between her legs. His big, hard hands framed her face.   
“Now, Matara. You will see how Kalquorian males take a lovely woman.”  
Frell’s hands slid around her and cupped her breasts. He gently kneaded and pressed them. She sighed and leaned back against his broad chest.   
“I like seeing Frell’s hands on you, pretty girl.” Zan ran his hands over her thighs. “We enjoy sharing this.”  
She smiled. “I can see.”  
One of his hands slipped between her thighs and caressed the tender flesh there. He parted her legs still further, then sat back on his heels. She was seized with the double emotions of embarassment at his steady inspection of her private flesh and of pride at his look of hot appreciation.   
“She’s lovely, isn’t she?” Frell rested his chin on her shoulder. “I’ve never seen a prettier pussy.” He nipped at her neck.   
“Beautiful.” Zan took one finger and gently spread her labia, opening her up for more of his perusal. “Flower-pink. Soft.”  
“Those parts turn a deep rose when she’s excited. They get so lovely and swollen.”  
She rolled her eyes. “Hey, guys? I’m here, you know. You don’t have to talk about me in third person.”  
Zan chuckled. “Just admiring you, pretty one.”  
She looked down at Frell’s large, dark hands on her pale breasts. It was a nice image. Dark and light. And…  
She lost the thought as Zan began to stroke through her labia, gathering wetness from where she was rousing fast. His touch was firm and sure. Could it really be true that he’d never had sex with an Earther before her? Both of them seemed completely at home with touching and tasting her in ways that seemed aimed directly at her most sensitive areas. Then again, both of them had done a lot of exploration and discovery when they’d been with her. Fast learners, these guys.  
Frell rolled her nipples between his fingertips, making her sigh again and then arch at the dart of excitement that seemed to land right on her clit and tug at her sheath. She bit her lip. Zan continued to stroke through her ruffled flesh, almost up to her clit, then down, almost to her entrance, then up again. Frell’s cocks pressed against her backside, and she heard him chuckle as she squirmed in delight at the sensations streaking through her.   
She should be worried about what was coming next, but it was impossible. The gave her no chance to think of anything else. Frell had turned her chin so he could take her mouth in a flashing hot kiss, just as one of Zan’s fingers slid into her very wet sheath. She clamped down around that finger and he rumbled his approval. She was melting, flowing, going into the realm of sheer sensation. She forgot her fears, she forgot Rejan, she forgot about the woods and her qualms about having two men at once. All she knew was want, need, excitement.  
“Spread yourself wider for me, sweet one.” Zan’s voice rumbled against her thigh. “I need to taste you.”  
She couldn’t think of a good reason why she shouldn’t, other than this was all so new and strange, two men loving her at once. She parted her thighs and Zan pressed a hot, needful kiss on her sex. She moaned and shifted in Frell’s arms. The Imdiko stroked one hand over her belly, petting her like a kitten, even as his other hand did decidedly un-kittenish things to her breast. He sucked on her earlobe and she trembled. The heat of the pair of them was growing, engulfing her.


	15. Fifteen

ALIEN HEART  
Inspired by Tracy St. John's Kalquor series  
Chapter Fifteen

Zan was entranced at the simple way Bethany seemed to abandon her thoughts and become a creature of sensuality. She was wet to his touch and so tight inside. Each time Frell pinched and rolled her nipples, her sheath clutched him and he smiled. He looked foward to the wonderful feeling of that sheath closing around him as he drove his cock deep within her welcoming depths. For now, he was content to play with her swelling pink flesh and let her squeeze against his finger in delight. He’d looked up all he could about Earther female anatomy and he was proud to know the English names of the flushed, delicate flesh between her thighs: labia, vagina, clitoris, and the delightfully shy G-spot that hid inside her vagina, tempting him to search and find and press it to make her moan and thrash.   
It had been a while since he and Frell had shared a female. They’d never shared an Earther. Suns, he wished Rejan were with them. His Dramok would be focused and attentive and he would set the tone for them to deepen their introduction of Bethany to their Kalquorian need to dominate sexually. Frell would bring some of that, he had no doubt. Probably already had. As for himself, he’d been too taken with their little redhead, too surprised by her sweet, giving ways that he’d focused solely on how he could make her feel excited, safe, and satisfied all at the same time. He hardly recognized himself.   
But he didn’t care. Maybe he was a new man with Bethany. As he slid another finger into her slippery sheath, he watched her face, her eyes closed, her teeth nibbling at her full, soft lower lip. He wanted to see her come, her skin flushing with the rush of her climax, hear her tremulous, yearning cries. It would be enough for him. For now.  
He slipped down and Frell, without a sound, tipped her back, tilting her hips up so he had better access to her. He slipped a third finger into her and lowered his head to taste. Suns, but she tasted like honey and wine and just a touch of salt, like a breeze on the ocean. She was addicting.   
He heard her gasp as he licked, then squirm as he filled her. She was so responsive. So alluring. He slid out one finger and began to use her juices to circle and press at her anus. She had been so small there the first time he’d been with her, even after Frell had had her, that he wanted her to get used to the feel once more. She moaned and whined a little as he pressed into her, just a bit. She relaxed as Frell’s voice in her ear soothed her. Zan licked upward, to where her clit had emerged from its hood and now stood out, dark pink and delightful, begging for attention. He gave it willingly, all the while keeping up the pumping in her sheath and the inward pressure in her back passage.   
“Zan.” She moaned, bucking against him. Frell held her down with one arm while teasing and caressing her breasts. She would be feeling sensual excitement everywhere. Beautiful. It was one of the joys of sharing with his clanmates, to see a female’s eyes glaze over as her climax began to build under the ministrations of so many hands. Mouths. Cocks.  
He put a finger to one side of her clit, then used his tongue to replace the fingers in her rippling cunt. He stabbed into her and she jerked, yelping, then melted. He couldn’t imagine a more wonderful sound or sight. He glanced up and met Frell’s eyes. They were dancing with hot delight. Yes, sharing was good. He plied her with his tongue and she began to buck harder against him. Frell held her down and she groaned.   
“Please.” She was begging. Wonderful. “I can’t―I don’t―”  
“Oh, I don’t think you mean that.” Frell held her tighter, compelling her to take all that Zan had to give.   
He zeroed in on her hot little clit and she cried out his name. He put all his touches together, tongue, fingers, palm, and tuned them to a symphony of sexual torment. Bethany came, wailing and gasping and he almost lost his own control. Over her cries, he could hear Frell growling his own response. His Imdiko must be in as great a need as he. When their lovely girl came down, he gently left her flesh and joined her and Frell on the sleeping mat.  
“So good, pretty girl.” He pressed his cheek against her hair. “You make such sweet sounds when you come.”  
“It’s true.” Frell stroked her back and kissed her cheek. “You almost made me come just by your response. I’m humbled, Matara.”  
“You...oh, God, that was sooo wonderful.” She lifted a soft, small hand and cupped Zan’s chin. “You’re a very wicked man, you know.” Her green eyes were a color softer than the new spring grass he’d seen on Earth.   
He grinned at her. “Not just a good person anymore?”  
“You’re a good person, yes. But a very, very wicked man.”  
He scooped her up and laid her back on the bed, tucking a pillow under her tangled red curls. “I like being wicked with you. I can’t wait for us to be wicked inside you.”  
He saw her swallow against her anxiety. That little fear was more exciting than any words she could say to him. He glanced at Frell, who knelt on Bethany’s other side. His clanmate’s usually gentle eyes were now almost as sharp as Rejan’s, showing his arousal and his need to take her, be over her. Zan lifted his chin, assenting, and Frell smiled his gratitude.   
“Sweetest Bethany, I need to be inside your body.” Frell crooned against her neck. “Are you ready?”  
She froze. Zan frowned. “What is it?”  
“You’re not...not both going to―”  
“Both try to enter you?” Frell stroked over her breast. “No. I’ll be the one to take you this time. But Zan won’t be able to keep his hands off of you. Or his mouth.”  
She shivered as she looked into their eyes. Zan held his breath. Would she panic and run? He bent and pressed a soft kiss on her other breast.   
“All right.” Her voice was both high with her nervousness and ragged with her arousal. Her erotic anxiety fed his own need.  
“I’m going to bite you, Bethany. Are you ready? It will be like before, just a little intoxicant.”  
She nodded. Frell lowered his head to suck on her breast. Zan swept aside her hair and quickly sank his fangs into her slender neck. He withdrew almost at once, though the urge to feed at her and give her more was strong. He lapped at his bite and she gave a long, melting sigh.   
“There. There’s my pretty girl. Let us love you again.”  
#  
Frell hardened painfully as he knelt between Bethany’s soft thighs and met her wide eyes. She was drifting on Zan’s bite, he could see, but she was still fearful.   
A little fearful was perfect. He stroked through her tender, moist flesh.  
“Ahh!”   
He wanted to shout. He’d never seen a female who had looked at him with such a potent mix of anxiety, desire, and joy. He could hardly wait. He stroked again and then slipped inside her sheath. She was slick and tight and so hot. Every bit as good as he remembered. She moaned a little as he stretched her. Zan moved to kiss her. Frell felt her clench on him as his clanmate took her mouth. How far could they push her before her fear outstripped her desire? He grinned and set to work.  
“Hold her arms, please, my Nobek.”  
Zan took hold of Bethany’s hands and drew them above her head, pinning her by the wrists. Frell reached out and grabbed a cushion, then scooped a hand under her buttocks, lifting her so he could tuck the cushion under her bottom. Her pelvis tilted up, making her more accessible, more open to him.   
“Restraints, I think.”  
He reached beneath the sleeping mat and pulled out soft straps and ankle cuffs. His hand massaged its way down her leg to her slender ankle. “Such soft skin. Smooth and warm.”  
Her eyes flew open and she startled as he slipped the cuff around her ankle and fastened it. “W-what are you doing?”  
“Spreading you wide. Keeping you still.”  
“I don’t—I’ve never—”  
“Now you will.” Zan nuzzled her neck. Frell fastened her other ankle. “You are ours to take and ours to pleasure, Matara.”  
“No, Zan, this isn’t what I wanted...oh. Oh. Ahh…” Zan was doing wicked things again.  
“No need to fear us, Matara. Just to obey and to enjoy.”  
She looked from one to the other.  
Frell stroked her leg. “Try this for us, sweet one. Trust us.” He glanced at Zan, then back to her. “If something gets to be too much for you, all you need to say is sholt.”  
“Your word for stop?”   
“Yes. Everything stops if we hear that word.”  
“You have our word, Bethany.”  
She looked from one to the other again. Frell saw that this was so strange to her, to be tied down and held open. But there was something that excited her, too. He could see it in her rapid breathing and the way her pupils had dilated. She shivered, then nodded.   
A wave of delight rippled through him as Frell put his hand to work on her feminine core once again. She was still primed from the orgasm Zan had given her and her squirming response was fuel to the fires within him. He stared down at her, her lovely pale skin blushing, her legs spread wide and up so that her rosy, glistening flesh was available and inviting. She shivered again and writhed and he growled.   
“Bethany. You will not move. I will give you all your pleasure.”  
“Frell, I can’t! I have to move.”  
He leaned up and over her, taking her chin in his hand. “You will not move, Bethany. No matter what I do, no matter what you feel, you will stay still. If you do not, Zan will use the wrist cuffs.”  
“Frell.” Her soft voice whined with anxiety and want.  
“You said yes to us. You accepted that we know how to make love to you.” Zan’s voice was deep and firm. Good Nobek. “Trust us to give you pleasure.”  
“I—oh, Goddd…”  
Frell worked two fingers deep into her slick, swollen cunt. He pumped her gently, but steadily. Her breathing quickened. He sank between her legs and lightly licked over her clit. She jerked and whimpered.   
“Bethany.” Zan’s voice was threatening.  
“I can’t! It feels too good!”  
Frell lifted his head and grinned. “Thank you, little pet. But you will hold still. Move again and Zan will cuff you.”  
He saw her swallow. Zan took her lightly by the throat. “Hold. Still.”   
Frell saw the green of her eyes darken. Oh, such a good sign. Being ordered to accept their will excited her as much as it frightened her. He wanted to turn up the flame a bit but he didn’t want Bethany to balk.  
“Remember, sweetest, one word from you and all this stops.” He patted her hip.   
“But I thought you were supposed to be in charge?”  
“Oh, we are, but only as far as you permit.”  
“You’re really the one in charge, pretty girl. You drive us.” Zan’s eyes were smoky with lust. “Yes, we will dominate. It’s our way. But domination only happens when you give us permission to rule over you.” He punctuated his words with soft kisses to her cheek.  
“We are actually feral creatures at our core, Bethany.” Frell stroked along her thighs. “We’ll always want to be in control when it comes to sex. It’s as much a part of our makeup as our eyes or our height. But having you submit to us is a precious trust. We will never take it lightly.”  
“You said you’d cuff me if I moved.”  
Frell’s smile was a flash of white in the dim room. “Oh, I will. Not only would it show you we are serious, but it would be such a pleasure to see all of your beautiful body restrained, open and ready for us to take and to pleasure.” He touched a long finger to her cleft and stroked again. “Does the idea of being completely restrained repel you, Bethany? Frighten you? Anger you? Excite you?”  
“It scares me. I’m not supposed to like it. I like being free.”  
“Oh, but think about it, sweetling. Think of being pinned here, naked, your pretty legs spread wide and your arms held down, so there was nothing you could do to resist us. Nothing but to accept whatever we wish to do to your lovely body. Nothing but allow us to bring you to ecstasy.”  
Frell saw her swallow. He wanted to cheer, but kept his calm. He kept his hand pressed to her feminine flesh and gently petted her.   
“We won’t do much today. But I can already see by the way you look and the sweet honey that just gushed over my fingers that you are intrigued. Would you like to test us, Bethany? Would you like to try, say, being tied to this bed while Zan and I make love to you?”  
“Oh, God.” Her voice was scarcely even a whisper.   
“Is that a yes?” Zan stroked her cheek.  
She nodded. Her beautiful eyes were huge. But she was interested, Frell could see it. And their sweet girl wanted to please them. Even better.  
His Nobek purred in her ear like a big cat. Frell moved up and kissed her deeply. “You make me so happy, little one. You don’t know how sweet it is that you want to please us in this way.”  
Zan brought out wrist cuffs, large ones of soft leather with padded velvet linings. He showed them to Bethany and let her touch them before he raised her arms and fastened one to each wrist. He checked both of them, making sure they didn’t cut off her circulation. He then spread her arms wide and a little upward, so that her soft breasts lifted in offering, and clipped the cuffs to loops at the top of the sleeping mat.   
Frell felt his head almost swim with desire at the sight of the pretty little Matara spread out before him, almost completely helpless. Just like his fantasy. Better. Her big eyes met his, wondering and watching, but she didn’t look panicked, only wary.   
“There.” Zan stroked down her arms and over her sides. “My Imdiko, doesn’t she look beautiful?”  
“Lovely.”   
Frell moved back and stroked his larger cock as Bethany watched. He was already slick with his natural lubrication and growing harder by the second. Spread-eagled before him was a woman he knew to be soft, hot, tight, and responsive. He and his Nobek were the two luckiest bastards in the galaxy.  
Zan moved to stroke her breasts. She sighed. He sucked one nipple into his mouth and Frell knew from Bethany’s reaction that he’d pulled hard on her rosy tip. She bucked and made a movement like she wanted to touch his head. She was stymied by the cuffs and made a little huff of frustration.   
Perfect.  
While his clanmate settled in to torment her breasts, Frell took position to enter her. He couldn’t wait another second. Guiding his hard flesh, he put his cocks to her entrances and slid home.   
#  
Bethany cried out as Frell steadily drove himself into her, until he was buried inside her as deep as he could get. She was stretched full in both passages but it was a welcome sort of ache that seemed to sweeten the dual assault the two men were making on her body. She tried to wriggle but Zan held her tight at her torso, Frell pinned her hips, and the cuffs restrained her arms and legs.   
She was helpless. Her body thrummed with intoxicant and the desire she felt for them both but there was no way she could do anything about it other than shiver and moan. It was pure torment and she wasn’t sure she liked it.  
But damn, she was excited. Her passages kept clenching onto Frell, especially when Zan would suckle hard on her breasts and send that zinging sensation straight to her pussy. Frell was moving maddeningly, soothingly, slowly, in and out of her and she could see him alternate between watching her face and watching himself sink and withdraw from inside her. His handsome face seemed to darken with intent as he pushed in as far as he could go, just nudging her cervix before he slowly, deliberately withdrew.   
Zan’s hands and mouth seemed to be everywhere, rubbing, sucking, kissing. He took one breast almost wholly into his mouth and she gasped at the sensation of being taken so completely. His other hand toyed with her nipple, then, as he suckled at one nipple, he pinched the other and she yelped, trying to buck upward. No such luck. She was trapped by these two huge aliens.   
“Oh, God,” she sobbed. “Zan!”  
His only reply was a deep, wicked chuckle as he moved to torment the other tip. At the same time, Frell ground upward, firmly, pressing her clit to the point of near-climax, then retreating before she could hold onto to the sensation.   
“No. Not fair!”   
“Not fair, darling girl?” Frell now angled his hips so his cock, his hard, hot, thrusting cock rubbed against her G-spot. “Of course it isn’t fair. It’s not supposed to be. We are in charge here. And I like this very much.” He repeated his actions. “I like how you clench down on me when I hit that spot.”  
She shrieked and bucked against them both. To her shock, Frell spanked her thigh, hard. “Hold still.”   
His growl was so far from the Frell she knew that she froze in place. His stunning, purple eyes met hers, glittering with sexual heat. With delight at making her suffer under him. She gulped. Why did that excite her, make her more desperate for him? Yet, undeniably, it did.   
He ground against her again and she melted. Zan moved up to kiss her, sweetly at first, then, with his deliberate thoroughness, harder, deeper, wilder. She panted and sobbed. This was too much. She couldn’t survive both of them taking her body like this, making her feel this much, creating a need in her that grew like an impending storm.   
She struggled against her restraints. Frell lifted and spanked her again. To her own surprise, she melted again, softening in their grasp.  
Their growls of mingled pleasure and triumph thrilled her. She felt powerful, but that made no sense, did it? She was tied up, held down, unable to do one single thing. She could only permit them to do whatever they wanted, to make her feel so desperate she was this far from screaming and coming in thrashing ecstasy. It was too much.   
Why in the name of everything sacred did she feel so proud? Why wasn’t she yelling sholt at the top of her lungs?  
She had no time to wonder any further. Zan slid one big hand over a breast and mauled it with deep skill. At the same time, he kissed her again, sealing her panting mouth with his, barely letting her breathe.   
Frell chose that moment to grind up against her, stroking her most sensitive spot within and dragging his groin over her engorged clit. She shrieked into Zan’s mouth and stiffened. Oh, God, she was going to go insane!   
Frell pulled back and rammed into her again, then began to hammer at her, steadily driving her to madness. Zan’s kisses kept her gasping and moaning. She was so frantic with the need to climax she bit down onto his lip, making him roar and grab her hair, holding her still as he continued to kiss her.   
Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God…  
She flew apart, her whole being shattering into sparkling shards of pleasure that wracked her body and drove her up so hard, she actually managed to move Zan a couple of inches. She screamed as everything within her contracted again and she clenched hard on Frell’s flesh inside her, throbbing and pulsing, over and over. The world vanished and she went flying into space, of leaving everything behind but blinding ecstasy.  
“Holy Mother of us all!”   
Frell’s bellow reached her as if from a far-off country. She barely registered his final, hammering thrust and then his roar as he emptied himself deep, deep inside her. She was still clenching and sobbing when he finished and sagged over her, groaning like a dying man. Zan still held her, but he now let her breathe as he peppered her face with soft kisses.   
“Darling girl. Bethany.” His deep rumbles soothed and warmed her.   
She was so limp she felt like water. Frell at long last lifted up and kissed her belly as he pulled gently out of her. She frowned at the loss, feeling the slide of warm liquid that accompanied his exit. The Imdiko crawled up beside her, opposite his clanmate. He pressed his lips to her cheek and groaned.   
“Sweetling, I think you just wrecked me. I’ll never be able to move again.”  
“I wrecked you? I think the pair of you just melted all my joints. I’m jelly.”  
Zan laughed and hugged her. “Beautiful one. Matara. You’ve made us so happy.”  
She tugged on one cuff. “Can you undo me, now?”  
Zan’s little smile blinked on and off. “No, sweetest.” He kept her close as Frell stroked her other arm. “I need you too much.”


	16. Sixteen

ALIEN HEART  
Inspired by the Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
Chapter 16

“Oh.” She turned her head to kiss his cheek. “I’m sorry. Of course.”  
His eyes were softer than she’d ever seen them. “You are my treasure.” He kissed her gently. “I want you to rest for a bit, though. Frell, would you lower her arm on that side? Leave the cuff on.”  
The two men lengthened the straps that held her cuffs so that she could lower her arms, but they didn’t let her go. She sighed and snuggled into their embrace. They spent several long minutes petting her and murmuring praises in her ears. Just as she was beginning to drift off, she felt Frell’s mouth on her throat and he nipped her with his fangs.   
“Did you have to do that?” She looked at him wonderingly even as the intoxicant began to unfurl afresh in her system. She turned to Zan. “I just had Frell. I think I’m ready for you.”  
“I want something a little different.” He nuzzled her cheek. “Over you go, little one.”  
She giggled at the idea that she could turn over by herself. Frell went to her feet and freed her ankles while Zan undid her wrist cuffs. She was flipped onto her stomach and expected to be drawn up to her hands and knees. Instead, her ankles were left free while Frell pulled her arms up over her head and cuffed her wrists together.   
Her Nobek lover knelt, nudging her knees apart. She sighed as more joy surged through her in anticipation of pleasure. She felt as soft as the billowy sleeping mat beneath her. Zan leaned over and swept her hair aside, kissing her spine. She shivered and hummed. Two hard, hot cocks settled in between her thighs. She wriggled her hips, trying to get them inside her.   
A stinging slap to her ass startled her. A big hand soothed her immediately but Zan’s snarl was clear. “You will take what I give, Bethany. Not what you demand.”  
“Yes, Zan.”  
Frell whispered against her ear. “You say: yes, Nobek.”   
“Yes, Nobek.”  
“Better.”   
Zan spread her a little wider and she jerked as she felt his larger cock sliding against her tighter passage. She huffed against the bedding.   
“Relax, little pet.” Frell kissed her cheek. “This is called laxan.”  
“But Zan’s big…”  
“Yes, he is. But you are ready. All you have to do is accept him.”  
“Do you submit to me, Matara?” Zan’s voice was deep and velvety above her.   
She felt another rush of inexplicable erotic bliss and nodded. Then, at the last second, “Yes, Nobek.”  
He pressed forward. He was going slowly and gently and she breathed into the intense pressure. At last she felt him pass through the ring of constricting muscles and slide more easily. This wasn’t too bad. Frell slipped his hand under her cheek and kissed her, tonguing and twining and tasting her. She sighed and savored his hot, male, flavor. Delicious want slid through her, like quicksilver running in her veins.  
Zan kept pressing into her. Now his smaller cock was sliding up the cleft of her ass, rubbing slickly. His bullet-shaped larger cock was widening toward its base as he lowered himself still further. She whined against the stretch.  
“Shh,” Frell soothed. “Let yourself go, sweetness. Let him in.” He licked and nibbled on her neck.  
Deeper and deeper Zan went, and she gritted her teeth against the burn that was beginning to throb in her ass. Frell lifted his head.   
“Slower, my Nobek.” His voice was gentle and quiet, but Zan growled in response. Even so, his advance slowed almost to a halt.   
Frell kissed her and fondled her everywhere he could reach. Zan kissed her back, mouthing and licking at her spine. She sighed into Frell’s mouth and softened.   
Zan pressed ahead. She began to feel stretched but not pained. Only full. So full.   
At last, she felt his groin meet her ass and he sighed, a great shivering sound that shook through her as well as him. Frell chuckled.   
“There. Laxan, sweet one. You are pleasing my Nobek so much.”  
She swallowed. How could this even be possible? Zan was huge! But there was something about being under him, surrendered to him in this way that made her go softer still.   
The big man lowered himself down over her again until he was stretched out over her back. His hands slipped up and grasped hers where they were clasped and cuffed over her head. He laced his fingers in hers and nuzzled his cheek into her hair.   
“So lovely, my pretty girl. Give me all.”  
She made herself as pliant as she could as Zan moved his hips the smallest bit, pumping her very gently. She gasped at the stretch, then relaxed as he made no larger moves, allowing her to get used to having his larger organ inside her smaller passage.   
Frell was nearby, just stroking her shoulder. This was so different from anything she’d ever imagined. Zan’s thighs parted, then lifted up over hers. He squeezed his thighs against hers, shoving her in tight around him as he penetrated her deeper still.   
“Zan!”  
“Shh. Just accept, Matara. I will give you pleasure.”  
She raised her head and pressed her forehead into the bedding, panting. It was almost more than she could process, this strange position, Zan’s invasion, the presence of Frell nearby, watching and listening. This was probably the most sinful, most reviled act in the long list of taboo sexual practices on Earth. And while it was new and strange, she couldn’t think how it could be bad. Earth was insane.  
“Here, sweetling.”   
Frell’s hand squirmed underneath her hip and she jolted as he slid a finger into her cleft. Her clit rose happily to life as Zan began to pump her harder, quicker.   
“That’s a lovely little button you have,” Frell murmured. “Hot and wet and getting so swollen. Is it nice when I rub it, love?”  
Her response was a long wail into the sheets. He chuckled wickedly.   
“My cock is hard again, just imagining how Zan must feel to be fucking your sweet ass, pet. He’s stretching you wide and you’re being such a good girl to let him in and let him love you this way.”  
“Unhh.” She bit into the bedding.  
Frell pressed a kiss to her shoulder as Zan began to angle in and drive himself into her, not savagely but insistently. She grunted with each thrust. Frell took her clit between his long fingers and pinched. She shrieked and bucked.   
“My pretty girl.” Zan’s groan was pure sexual electricity in her veins. “I’m not going to last.”  
“Ahhh.” She was sobbing with want now but she still felt so damned proud to be pleasing them. So feminine.  
Frell rubbed her, slipping into her sheath a bit, but keeping his focus on her hard, demanding clit. He was making her wild with his perfect strokes. “My Nobek is going to fill you full soon, pet. Pour his cum into your sweet, hot little ass. I can feel you trembling. Do you want to come, too, love?”  
“Please. Please Imdiko.” She said it with a mouthful of bedding but she thought he’d heard her.   
“Frell.” Zan’s voice was like sandpaper. “Now, my Imdiko.”  
Frell stroked and then pinched and Bethany felt the climax that had been coiling tighter and tighter within her suddenly burst its confines. She screamed so hard she saw stars. Thunderous, painful joy swept her, shook her, tossed her. Everything pulsed and quaked and she shoved her hips into the bed, onto Frell’s hand, rocking in the throes of helpless pleasure.   
“Bethany!”   
Zan shouted and shoved hard, then froze over her. She felt his cock expand and contract, expand and contract in her ass, and she thought of Frell’s whispered words, how her big, beautiful lover was going to pour his cum into her until she was full. Just the idea sent her over again, sobbing and thrusting against the wicked fingers that still plied her with such skill. Zan roared over her cries and she exulted in the thrill of his helpless release.  
It was a very long time, at least in her mind, before Frell slid his hand from under her and Zan’s body softened over hers. She was nothing more than a trembling mass beneath him, her body still clenching with aftershocks. They lay quietly, panting, drifting in bliss.  
“My Nobek.” Frell’s soft voice was full of amusement. “You might need to move. Our pet is becoming a sweet little well-fucked pancake.”  
“Apologies, Matara.” Zan kissed her neck and lifted away.  
She lay still, flattened and stunned and so content. Being a well-fucked pancake had its merits.  
Big hands removed her cuffs, rubbed her wrists and arms, lifted and turned her, cuddled her close to big, hot bodies. She heard the sound of their breathing, the thud of their hearts as they held her and petted her. All she could do was take it in.  
“Thank you, precious girl.” Zan’s kiss was as tender as the touch of a flower petal. “Oh, my Bethany.”  
She looked up into his strong, dark face. She brushed a long strand of his midnight hair away from his forehead. Her heart felt full of wonder. “Was it good?”   
“Good? Matara, you’ve ruined me. I can never be without you. Your sweet giving enslaves me.”  
He crushed her to him. She felt tears spring to her eyes as the passion in his words broke over her. She had never known what it was like to be in love, but she’d always wondered. Always hoped. Now she knew. She was in love with Zan.   
Frell kissed her shoulder. “You are our treasure, Matara. We can’t let you go.”  
She turned to him, her mouth open with surprise. The answer in the beautiful Imdiko’s eyes was the same as Zan’s and to her further surprise, her heart surged with love for this man, as well. She loved two men, completely. Two men at the same time! It was improbable. Impossible. Ludicrous, if not dangerous and foolish.   
Yet there it was. Zan and Frell were in her heart and she wasn’t going to let them slip away.   
Zan and Frell washed her carefully with wipes from the container nearby, then cleaned themselves before settling back in around her. She murmured her contentment.  
“Sleep, Matara.” Zan spooned his body around hers. “Rest with us.”  
She was succumbing fast to sleep’s grip. Her body was still boneless, limp. She closed her eyes as Frell snuggled his cheek to her breasts and heaved a gusty sigh. Peaceful oblivion was coming fast. As she tipped over the edge into slumber’s hold, she heard Zan whisper.   
“My Imdiko. What are we going to do?”  
She wanted to comfort him, the pain in his voice was so clear. But she was too far gone. The world fell away.


	17. Seventeen

ALIEN HEART  
based on the Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
Chapter 17  
When Bethany woke, it was evening and she was alone. She shook her head as she went to her room and dressed in the clothes that had already been cleaned for her. Between all the days spent in hiding and the strange and wonderful experience of sex with both Zan and Frell, she must have been exhausted. She followed her nose to the kitchen, where Frell was at the counter, chopping vegetables. He put down his knife and came to her at once, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek.   
“I’m sorry we left you alone, sweet, but you were sleeping so deeply, Zan and I didn’t have the heart to disturb you.”  
She hugged him. “It’s okay. I know you have things to do.”  
He poured her a glass of sparkling water and motioned to a stool nearby. “Keep me company while I cook.”  
“No.” She began washing her hands. “I’ll help.” She halted. “Oh. I’m sorry, Frell. I forgot my diplomatic training. Is it acceptable in Kalquorian culture for guests to help you serve?”  
He grinned. “It is acceptable, although less so for a female guest. If it will make you happy, Bethany, it would be good to have your help.”  
“It would make me happy. Just tell me what needs doing.”  
Bethany finished cutting vegetables and fruit and arranged them on a platter. Frell was busy with a roast of some kind and the smell made her mouth water. They talked about Plasius, and art, and foods from Earth and Kalquor as they set the table and served up the first course.   
Zan and Rejan came in from the back garden. Rejan looked startled to see her, then strode to the low dining table and took one of the large cushions arranged around it. Zan crossed the kitchen in one stride, it seemed, and gathered Bethany into his arms for a long, delicious kiss. He finally pulled back and looked her over.   
“You look better.”  
“I feel better, thank you.”  
“Come, eat. Bethany helped me make the meal, so it will be extra good.” Frell shooed them into their seats.   
Zan took up a bit of the fresh vegetables, dipped it into a pale blue sauce and offered it to Bethany. She tilted her head. “Really? You’re going to feed me here? I think you know me well enough to drop the formalities.”  
He lifted his chin, regarding her sternly. “Open, Bethany.”  
She blinked at his imperious stare. She looked to Frell. He had his arms crossed and was giving her a distinctively Kalquorian version of the stink-eye. “Diplomatic training?” he asked.   
He would throw that back in her face. “Rats.”  
“No rats.” Zan glowered, though she saw the humor at the back of his eyes. “It is not a formality. It is a rule. We feed you.”  
She raised her hands. “Okay. I surrender.” She folded her hands in her lap and opened her mouth.   
Zan popped the food into her mouth and grinned as she chewed. “There. Not so bad to be sweet, is it?”  
She made a face at him and Frell burst out laughing. “Oh, she’s a very tough little one, my Nobek. I don’t think we should push too far.”  
Zan’s look grew dark and heated. “Not right now, perhaps.”  
Bethany felt her heart thump and a zing of desire race through her body. How did these guys manage to arouse her with just a look?  
Speaking of looks… She stole a glance at Rejan as Frell fed her some of the warm flat bread he’d baked. He was staring at his plate, jaw set. He was angry and she couldn’t say she blamed him. After all, here she was, the woman he loathed, at his table, eating his food, and being pampered by his clanmates. She gave a questioning glance at Frell but he only nodded and smiled.   
After they finished the meal, Zan and Rejan began to clear away and clean up. Frell helped Bethany up and linked her arm through his.   
“They will finish, sweet one. Let’s go sit out in the garden.”  
He led her to a circle of padded, comfortable furniture not far from the swimming pool. The light was changing, a remarkable mix of turquoise and orange, as the first sun set while the other descended in its wake. Frell pulled her to a lounge and when she was seated, he hopped up, stretched out, and laid down with his head in her lap. She giggled and stroked the rich waves of his hair back from his brow. “You’re never shy, are you?”  
He looked up in surprise. “I can be. But with you? I’d be an idiot to waste even a moment fearing what you might or might not be thinking of me.” He turned his cheek and nuzzled her thigh. “I don’t want to miss anything.”  
She felt sweet warmth spreading through her being. He was such a gorgeous man and here he was, acting as if she was the most desirable, interesting woman in the galaxy. The weight of his head and shoulders on her lap was both comforting and exciting. His look of bliss as he pressed a kiss on her upper thigh made her melt.   
“You’re sweet to me,” she whispered.  
“Of course. You are sweet and so I behave accordingly.” He turned his head to look up at her again. “You were very sweet with Zan and me this morning.” He took her hand and kissed each of her fingers. “It meant a great deal to both of us for you to trust us that way, little gardener.”  
“I was--”  
She cut off as Rejan and Zan came to join them. Rejan took a seat to one side, while Zan pulled a bench over to sit close to Bethany. Frell sat up, but kept her hand in his. To her surprise, it was Rejan who spoke first. He’d been almost silent throughout evening meal.   
“We need to discuss what to do about the threat against you, Bethany.”  
She shrugged. “What can we do? I have no notion who might have sent it. Or, at least only a notion or two but nothing concrete.”  “We can’t let whoever did this get away with it,” Zan said, his face darkening. “They have to pay for terrorizing you.”  
“We’ve talked about it,” Frell said, “and we have three ideas of who might be responsible. One, Earthers who are angry that you’ve made a new life here and rejected Earth. Two, Kalquorian purity fanatics who are angry that you have been seen with a clan. And three, an unbalanced individual who has targeted you for some unknown reason.”  
She nodded. “Those are the ones I came up with, too. I just don’t see how we can find any of them, let alone make them pay.”  
“I have some suggestions. Will you hear them, Matara Bethany?”  
She nodded at Rejan. “Of course.”  
He turned a bit so he faced her. “I think our first target has to be Earthers. Not because I believe Earthers are all evil but because there was no mention of the mingling of races in that letter. Also, they specifically said you were a disgrace to Earth, which seems to indicate they are Earther, too.”  
“It makes sense.”  
Rejan made a noncommittal gesture. “It could also be a clever way of deflecting suspicion by another group or person. But we need to start somewhere.”  
“I appreciate your concern. And all your help. But I can take it from here. I’m going to go to my friend, Colonel Carter Tyler, and speak to him about it. He’s formerly Earth military and he may have information.”  
“Are you under this man’s protection?” Zan’s voice was a low growl.  
“No. But he is Israla’s consort and I am under her protection.”  
“Not enough.”   
Zan wasn’t growling but his tone was still flinty. She looked at him and saw his face was also set like flint and in the growing twilight she shivered. He looked ready to tear something to pieces. She could only guess this was what a Nobek looked like when he was angered. She gulped at the sight of her mountainous lover, glaring into the oncoming night.   
“We will speak with this Tyler.” Rejan sounded like he was planning a shopping trip. “Then, if we are not satisfied, we will go some of my contacts. Frell, you will stay here with Bethany. Zan, you--”  
“Oh, no you don’t!”   
Rejan stared at her as if she’d just popped up out of the ground. She straightened.   
“I am not going to hide again. I’m the one who’s in danger. I’m the one who knows Carter. I’m the one who knows Israla.”  
Frell made a choking sound and Rejan shot him a quelling look. Rejan took a deep breath, obviously summoning his patience.   
“I appreciate that this is important to you, but these could be very dangerous people behind this threat. I can’t allow you to put yourself in jeopardy. We can take care of this and that will be all.”  
She rubbed her face. He clearly thought he was being reasonable, the ass. “You can’t keep me here as a prisoner. I will go to Israla’s and to anyone else I think might know about this and to anyone who might need to be warned.”  
“You are being stubborn. Your bravado won’t serve you well against ruthless people. Zan and I are well-equipped to do this.”  
She turned to Zan. “You wouldn’t make me stay here at home like a good little girl, would you?” She turned to Frell. “Would you try to keep me here when you know this is my life we’re dealing with here?” Before either man could answer, she faced Rejan. “Not going to happen your way, Dramok Rejan.”  
He colored deeply but kept silent. He looked to his clanmates and she saw silent messages pass between them. That was what it was like for Kalquorians, she guessed. All for clan and clan for all. She came second.  
“It’s best we do it as a team, my Dramok.” Frell’s voice was soft, but firm. “It is her life.”  
Rejan looked to Zan. “What do you think? Are you ready to let her go into this?”  
“If she goes with us, I am willing.” Zan twisted to face her. “Will you be willing to obey us if there is danger? To do what we tell you in order to protect you?”  
She bit her lip. She hated dragging them into this but then again, they’d already made that choice for themselves, hadn’t they?  
“All right. I agree. We go as a team.”  
“It’s decided then.” Rejan rose. “We will leave for the Saucin’s palace by eighth hour tomorrow morning.”  
He stalked into the house. Bethany watched him go, his posture stiff as a steel beam. He really didn’t like to give up authority. Especially to her.   
“He really hates me, doesn’t he.” It wasn’t a question.   
“Rejan doesn’t hate you, sweet girl,” Frell said. “He had a very sad experience with an Earther woman some years ago, and he swore he’d never have anything to do with Earth or Earthers again.”  
“Kind of hard isn’t it, since his home planet conquered Earth?” She checked her sarcasm. “So tell me, what happened to Rejan that was so bad? Did she dump him or something?”  Zan shook his head. “Not at all. It was more painful than that.”  
“I think you should tell her.” Frell’s voice was somber now. “You were with him on Earth. and it will help her understand.”  
“I only came in at the end. But, all right.” Zan moved to a chair and stretched out his long legs. “It was almost ten years ago. All Kalquorians must give a mandatory five years of service to Kalquor once they’ve completed their education, whether it’s military or other jobs. He was in your California state, where so much of your food is grown, learning about Earther crops.”  
“I heard there were a few Kalquorians on Earth before the war.”  
“He was one of those. So was I. He was also being pressured by the Kalquorian military to spy on the locals and perhaps find out how to sabotage Earth’s food supply.”  
“Stinkers.”  
“On both sides, I’d say,” Frell said. “Earth was spying on us, as well.”  
“You’re probably right. Go on, Zan.”  
“Rejan, being Rejan, hated being played like a pawn. He took off on hiatus and went hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He hadn’t gotten far into the back country, when he fell and injured his leg. He dragged himself for miles, I believe, until a young woman found him on the trail. She got him home to the cabin where she and her father lived, in a secluded place outside of a tiny town. Her name was Larke and Rejan says she was very beautiful.”  
Something stirred and growled inside Bethany. If she didn’t know better, she’d say that something was jealousy. She shunted it aside and focused on Zan’s story.  
“She and her father had moved to the mountains when the school where her father taught began to pressure him to teach more and more falsehoods to his students, in the name of religion. He and Larke disappeared one night, he told Rejan, and left clues that they might have gone to the Asian sector.”  
“Her father was a partial invalid,” Frell put in. “Vigorous but bound to a mobile chair.”  
“Ah. And they took in Rejan?”  
“They did,” said Zan. “Larke cared for his injuries and they made him welcome. It was the first time Rejan had had any dealings with an Earther Matara. He hadn’t had that much experience with females in general, save his own mother. He fell hard for Larke and she fell in love with him and he was over the moons, there in the cabin in the beautiful mountains. He stayed for almost three months. Larke gave her virginity to him, a true treasure. He said she was lovely and soft and responsive but she still had the fears that Earther females have suffered for so long. She would make love with Rejan, then she would weep and mourn that she was weak and sinful or that she was sure they would be caught by the authorities. It was hard for Rejan, who wanted to share everything with her and see her pleasure.”  
“Where was her mother?”  
“She had an affair. She was consumed by guilt. She abandoned her daughter and her husband and joined a convent. Rejan says her father tried to teach Larke that her sexual nature was good and healthy but it was hard to resist the constant indoctrination of others around her.”  
“It doesn’t have to be that way.” Bethany felt both pity and irritation with this Larke.   
Frell kissed her hand. “Not every female is as strong as you are, lovely girl. She had only her father’s counsel and that was after much of the damage was already done.”  
“Rejan loved her despite all that. He thought about marrying her and staying on Earth, living with her in the mountains. Before he did that, he had to go back down into the flatlands. He would have to tell the military and his family that he’d fallen in love and was going to stay.”  
Zan stared out the window at the smooth, still water in the pool. Not a breath of air stirred outside.   
“I’d been on a scouting party in the Sierra Nevada mountains at that time. We were meeting with firefighters who worked on the brush fires that often rip through that area. On the side, when we could manage it, we were doing reconnaissance and cartography. Even then, Kalquor feared it might have to go to war.”  
“Did you mind being used that way?”  
He shrugged. “I was a soldier. I am Nobek. We do what we must to succeed over our enemies.”  
She shivered at the cold conviction in his eyes and face. To her, Zan was the sweetest, tenderest, most loving man she’d ever met, but she was learning that that Zan existed only for his clan and her. She could only imagine what he might be like when he faced a fight.   
“So, you met Rejan in the mountains?”  
“I did. I met him the day he returned to Larke’s cabin. What Rejan didn’t know was that people from the nearby town had been spying on them. They’d seen a young woman being friendly with a big, dark, stranger. It wasn’t long before they realized the stranger was an alien, a Kalquorian. On the day Rejan returned, these neighbors took it upon themselves to cleanse their area of unclean, immoral, animals and all those who consorted with them.”  
“Oh, God.” Bethany felt sick. “Cleansing” was never a good thing on Earth.   
“They managed to trap Larke and her father in their cabin. They thought Rejan was in there, too. These people stood outside their home, holding guns, then set fire to the cabin. It was high summer and the place went up in seconds.”  
“Oh, no!”   
Frell cuddled her close to him, rubbing her arm. She leaned against him as she listened to the rest of Rejan’s sad history.   
“A few Earther firefighters were nearby. I was with them. They were good men. They shoved me back into the trees, to keep me hidden from the townspeople, while they raced to put out the fire. I was back on the trail, watching. I knew the roof was going to collapse at any moment. A Kalquorian came rushing up the trail behind me, screaming. It was Rejan. I caught him and tackled him. He fought me hard, but I managed to hold him back. I must have bitten him five or six times before he started to listen. I told him there was nothing he could do, that no one could have survived that bad a fire. If he went back to the cabin, he’d be shot in a heartbeat, or die in the flames himself. I wasn’t going to let him do that.”  
“Oh, poor Rejan.”   
“He was a mess. He stayed that way for weeks. I managed to get him out of the mountains and back to Kalquorian headquarters by the Pacific Ocean. He was out of his mind with grief and rage. Our medics had to restrain him, sedate him. He was put into counseling. It took many long months for him to begin to live anything like a normal life.”  
“Zan stayed with him.” Frell shot his clanmate a warm look. “He took Rejan under his big wing and helped him through.”  
Zan shook his head. “All I did was be a friend to him. When my time of service was over, our leaders sent him along. We both took a leave from work. We bounced around from place to place, visiting, hunting, exploring―”  
“Fucking everything that moved.”  
Zan scowled at Frell. “Respect, youngling.”  
“So, Rejan got over Larke?” Bethany shook her head in wonder at the pity of it all.  
“No. I don’t think he’s ever gotten over her. He felt responsible, you see. She and her father died because of him.”  
“But that’s not true! They died because of damned, vicious Earther idiocy!” Tears stung her eyes.   
“We know this,” Frell said. “But our Dramok only sees that those people never would have attacked Larke and her father if they hadn’t seen her with him.”  
“That’s not fair!”   
“No, love, it’s not. But that’s what happened. And that’s how Rejan feels. Can you understand? He never wants to do anything, know anyone, who reminds him of that horror.” Zan’s eyes were dark with sorrow.  
She bit her lip to stop it from quivering. Rejan didn’t hate her. He wasn’t a jerk for no reason. He had been terribly wounded. No wonder he thought Earth was the asshole of the entire universe. She wasn’t sure he was wrong about that, either. “He seems to be all right now. I mean, apart from being nuts on the subject of Earth.”  
“Thank our Nobek for that,” Frell said. “He never let Rejan go, never let him sink down into useless grief. Just dragged him around the galaxy. He never pressed him. Never told him what he should do or how he should feel. He was just his friend.” Frell’s tone was admiring.  
“There was one thing I did have to pressure him about.” Zan’s tiny smiled peeked out. “I had to tell the idiot he should clan me.”  
Bethany giggled. “Really? How long did it take to convince him?”  
“When I decided it was time to convince him, about three days. Three very long and uncomfortable days for him.”  
Frell snorted. “He had to beat him senseless, then bind him and keep at him day and night. Then, he did the smartest thing of all: he left Rejan.”  
“Ooh, very sneaky.” She raised a brow at Zan.   
“Very wise,” Frell said. “Rejan didn’t last two days without him. He hunted him down and, being Rejan, ordered him to be his Nobek. Zan refused and finally, His Imperial Dramok-ness asked him politely and sincerely to be the first member of his clan.”  
“Did you make him wait for an answer?” She twinkled at the Nobek.   
“No. I was tired of waiting. We went straight out and celebrated. Took another couple of days for us to recover from that.”  
“What about you?” She turned to Frell. “Did you have to convince them to clan you?”  
“That’s a story for another time. Time for you to go to bed, sweetness. We have a lot to do tomorrow and you’re still not recovered.”  
“Damn. Just when we got to the good stuff.” They walked her to her room and tucked her in and kissed her. She looked up at them, sobering. “Thank you for telling me about Rejan. I understand him a lot better now.”  
“I hope so. Our Dramok is more than what he’s shown you so far.” Frell threw her a kiss and left.   
“Now that I know Rejan’s story, I feel better. But will he ever feel better about me?”  
Zan was silent for a long moment. “I don’t know, sweetness. But when we needed to find you, Rejan didn’t hesitate. He was there every second.”  
“I’ll be sure to thank him.”  
“Sleep well, pretty girl.”  
#  
Carter’s face went red when Bethany finished telling about the threat. “This is unacceptable, dammit! I wish you’d come to me right away, little bit.”  
Rejan watched the man carefully. He’d met Carter only once, in passing, at one of Israla’s parties or receptions or something but he knew nothing beyond the fact that the man was ex-military and that he had become Israla’s lover and companion. The Saucin, who’d been infamous for her lust for much, much younger men, had astonished everyone when she’d taken the older Carter as her consort. He claimed to have broken all his ties to Earth but was that possible?  
He saw his Nobek also narrowly eyeing the Earther. The man was tall and fit, but considerably older than Bethany and his regard for her was more fatherly, he thought. Zan had barely stifled a growl when Carter and Bethany had hugged in greeting. Frell had tensed, as well. Rejan thought they need have no fear that Carter was competition for their pretty girl. Carter also looked genuinely outraged that anyone would threaten Bethany and that made Rejan hold back his own discomfort and listen.   
“I’m no longer a citizen of Earth and I’ve severed all ties with the military.” Carter addressed this to Rejan, as was proper when speaking to clan. Another point in his favor. “I do have access to some information as Israla’s consort.” He gave a small smile, looking a little shy. “Hard to think of myself as a consort but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. But I am in a position where I can help, at least as far as I can. If I need to, there are still one or two favors I can call in.”  
“We believe that this threat came from Earthers who wish to punish Bethany for her choice to become a Plasian and make an independent life for herself here. We need to know who they are.”  
Carter frowned. “I can’t allow you to take the law into your own hands, much as I’d like to. I am Israla’s subject, as is Bethany. We are bound to keep Plasian law. And you know how they abhor violence of any kind.”  
Rejan nodded. “I know. We will not ask you to take action. We simply need information.”  
Carter nodded and called up his com system. He looked to Rejan to tell him what was needed. Rejan supplied the questions, Carter worked the system, and soon they were looking over vid after vid of data. Zan moved in to review it with them. Rejan saw Frell take Bethany’s hand and lead her to a nearby bench. He was glad the Earther woman hadn’t insisted on pushing into this any further. Maybe it had dawned on her at last that this was a serious situation.   
He returned to the vids and they combed over all that Carter could access. When they ran out of data, Carter raised his hands. “I’m sorry. That’s really all I have right now. I’ll start asking around and if we need it, I’ll petition my Saucin.”  
“Thank you.” Rejan bowed.   
Carter bowed in return, then motioned to Bethany. Frell drew her over to him.   
“Little bit, you be very careful, understand? I think your friends have got your back but don’t go getting careless or stubborn. You’re too smart to take foolish chances, right?”  
Rejan saw the fondness in Bethany’s eyes as she nodded and hugged him. The man knew how to manage her, he had to give him that. But did he have to embrace her so often?   
They left Israla’s and went out onto the grounds. Rejan peered through a gate and saw the garden where he’d first met Bethany. If he wasn’t careful, that night would begin haunting him almost as much as that day in the Sierras. He had to find these gurlucks, deal with them, and get Bethany out of their lives. He saw already that it was going to take more than a few words to get Zan away from her.   
“Carter was good to help.” Frell patted Bethany’s hand.  
She turned her green eyes up to his purple ones. “He’s taking a risk. Just like you.”  
“What do you mean?” Rejan asked as they took the paved path to the boulevard.   
“He’s an expatriate, like me. He turned his back on the Earther armed forces. He’s having sexual relations with an alien. He is the consort of the ruler of a planet Earth thinks is a sinkhole of depravity and vice. In other words, he’s a traitor to Earth and that means there’s a great big target painted on his back.”  
“But he was willing to help us to help you.” Zan sounded grudgingly accepting of the man who’d made so free with touching his lover.   
“Yes.” Bethany turned to Rejan. “Where next?”   
He looked at her as they returned to the shuttle. She looked strong and determined and he fought back a smile of approval. She hadn’t meant to get them--or Carter--into this and he could see it didn’t sit well with Little Matara Independence. At least she understood that.   
“The Kalquorian embassy,” he told the shuttle’s directory.   
Rejan felt curious eyes on them as they entered the consulate and were ushered into the waiting area for Ambassador Jep’s office. On Plasius, it wasn’t so unusual for Kalquorians to come in with females. It was, Rejan knew, the novelty of a full clan with an Earther Matara in their midst that drew attention to them. Many Mataras had gone to Kalquor and were even now becoming part of clans there, but they were still so strange to his people. Strange and familiar, given how much Earthers resembled Kalquorians in appearance.   
On Kalquor, males were standing on their heads and juggling fire to impress the Mataras who were available for clanning. Thousands of men had tossed their names into the lottery that might win their clans the right to court a Matara, in hopes of winning a mate and having children. Good luck with that, he though sourly. More screaming, cringing, weeping women were not on his list of things to gain in this lifetime.   
Ambassador Dramok Jep came out to greet them in person. He beamed. “Rejan!”  
Rejan bowed to the older man. “Greetings, sir. Well met.”  
“Indeed?” The ambassador’s sharp eyes swept over Rejan and his clan.   
“It is well to meet you, sir. But we do have a matter we need to discuss.” Rejan turned. “This is Matara Bethany Corddray.”  
“I remember you from Ambassador Martin’s stay here, Matara. Well met.” He bowed to Bethany and Bethany made a lovely bow in return.   
“My Nobek, Zan. My Imdiko, Frell. I don’t believe you’ve met before.”  
They all bowed and then the ambassador motioned for all of them to follow him into his office. Rejan noted with pleasure the high doorways, the large, heavy furniture, the lower lighting in the embassy. All designed with Kalquorians in mind. Comfortable.   
The ambassador’s aide brought them cool drinks for the heat of the midday and they took seats in a small conversation area in a corner of the large room. Rejan sat between Bethany and Zan, facing Jep.   
“You need my help, Rejan?”  
“We do, sir. Our friend Bethany is Earth-born, but a citizen of Plasius. Recently, she received a com that threatened her and her safety. We don’t know who sent it to her but it was a filthy thing to send to her. To any Matara.”  
Jep’s craggy face drew tight with concern. “May I see this com, Dramok?”  
He addressed Rejan but his eyes met Bethany’s. Clearly the man thought she was their mate and therefore Jep wouldn’t presume to speak to Rejan’s clanmate without permission. There wasn’t time to disabuse him of that impression, however. Rejan merely nodded and looked to Bethany. She fetched out her com and played the threatening message.   
Jep’s face flushed to the roots of his snowy hair, reminding Rejan of Carter’s reaction. His brows drew down in a thunderous frown, then he seemed to recall his position as ambassador and relaxed his stance. Slightly. “Terrible. Do you know anyone who might wish to harm you, Matara?”  
“I don’t know. As you know, I have rejected Earth and taken up a new life here on Plasius. Many Earthers would have issues with that.”  
“Issues.” Frell snickered under his breath.   
Jep looked to Rejan again. “If you believe Earthers are threatening her, how may I help you?”  
“We aren’t sure it is Earthers. Not yet. We checked with sources within the Saucin’s palace and so far no Earthers have been reported out of place or causing trouble.” Rejan waited, knowing the ambassador already knew why they had approached him.   
“You are concerned Kalquorians might have made this threat?”   
Rejan remained silent. He didn’t have to wait long for Ambassador Jep to broach the subject.   
“Purity factions, then? Rebels against Kalquor’s acceptance of the Earther Mataras as the hope of reviving our race?”  
“It could be, sir.”  
Jep sat back on his cushion. “This is a very serious matter, Dramok Rejan. If I didn’t know you and your family, I would send you out to reconsider your petition to me.”  
“I understand.”  
“But I have known all three of your fathers for many years and you since you were a child. You wouldn’t come to me with something frivolous.”  
“I appreciate that, sir.”  
The ambassador pushed to his feet. Rejan and his clan, Bethany with them, stood as the man paced the room. He had to admire Bethany’s grace. Her diplomatic training seemed to have prepared her for many situations.   
Jep paused in his pacing and turned to look at them all. “I hate this, but I would be in the wrong to keep this from you. The Basma, the leader of the rebel purity movement, has been active on several colonies and we believe he may have people here on Plasius. In fact, we know he did have just half a year ago, but we enlisted the Saucin’s aid in arresting them and having them deported to a penal satellite colony for interrogation and to face charges. We believed we had chased them all down, but it isn’t impossible there were one or two left here. They might be brave enough right now to attack.”  
“How do we find them, sir?”  
Jep looked startled at Zan’s abrupt question but he smiled, briefly. “I appreciate your concern, Nobek, and I honor it. My Nobek had a hand in apprehending the traitors and he was most eager to see them...well, let’s say having them arrested wasn’t as satisfying for his peace of mind.” The older man looked suddenly sad. “Perhaps he was right in that feeling.”  
“But we need to interrogate them.” Rejan nodded to Zan. “We have to do everything we can to find their leaders and kill the roots of this movement.”  
Zan was silent, but he didn’t look appeased. Jep went on.   
“If they have begun to be active again, we need to find them and crush them, Nobek,” he said to Zan. “They can’t be allowed to spread here on Plasius.” His eyes rested on Bethany. “And you, Matara, should never have your peace of mind or your safety imperiled.”  
“Will you tell us where they might be found?” Rejan felt a buzz through his body. They might actually have solved this mystery.   
“I will. First, I can use your Nobek to aid us in tracking them. Can you spare him for a few hours while we gather intelligence?”  
“I can.” Rejan turned to Zan. His Nobek looked calm and collected but something told him Zan was also buzzing with the desire to engage.  
“You and your Imdiko and Matara are welcome to remain here, under my auspices and security, Rejan. I can provide you with a suite for your comfort.”  
Rejan kept his tone respectful, but firm. “I would like to help with the search, sir, if I may.”  
Jep seemed about to speak, then merely nodded. “I will have my aide show you all to a suite and then you and Nobek Zan can join us in the source room on this floor.”  
The aide came and escorted them to a second-floor room that was clearly set aside for visiting dignitaries. Frell’s eyes were wide as they entered. He grinned as the aide bowed and left them alone.   
“I knew your fathers were a big deal, Rejan, but this is impressive.”  
Rejan snorted as he crossed the room to the bar. “This is all they have in the embassy, my Imdiko. They don’t keep quarters that are more suited to dirt farmers from Ur’la’Fal.”  
He reached into the cold storage unit and brought out pouches of water for all of them. He offered one to Bethany, first. She whispered her thanks, her attention far away.   
Zan strode across the room, scooped her up and sat on the lounger with her in his lap. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head. Rejan looked at Frell. His Imdiko only gave a faint shrug. Zan had toppled all right. It was more important than ever that they find these gurlucks and go home.   
He went to the bath and refreshed himself, then came out to the gathering room again. Bethany had moved off of Zan’s lap but he kept a tight hold on her hand. He realized he’d never faced a fight when Zan’s own heart was involved. Would the Nobek be able to separate his feelings from his training and think clearly?  
There was a knock at the door and an aide stepped in, a young Nobek in Kalquorian Imperial colors. “The Ambassador and Commander Sochin are ready for you in the situation room, sirs.”  
As Rejan followed the aide out and down the hall, he saw Zan’s face instantly clear and his eyes became focused and alert to everything around them. He breathed more easily. Whatever Zan felt for the little Earther, it wasn’t going to impair him. He was ready to fight.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

ALIEN HEART  
based on the Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
Chapter 18  
Bethany toyed with the small statue of a reclining animal Frell told her was a zibger. Zan and Rejan had been gone for over an hour. How long would it be before they located the purity fanatics, if they were here at all?  
“Sweet girl, it will take time.”  
She turned to Frell, who was perched on the edge of the lounger, looking no more relaxed than she. She sighed. “I know. I just--it’s just that…”  
“Come here.”  
She came to him and he scooted back, then pulled her down to cuddle into the crook of his arm. She wanted to burrow into his warmth but she was still too anxious.  
“The ambassador said he needed Zan to help with tracking. That means both by geo-positioning and good old fashioned physical searching. Our Nobek is outstanding, he could have been a tracker if he hadn’t chosen pyro-protection. Yet even he is not supernatural. Try to rest, sweetness. They’ll let us know something soon.”  
She looked up at him, eyes narrowed. “Do you really believe that?”  
He sagged. “No. I’m as worried as you but I’m supposed to be your support. I’m Imdiko. I have to say that kind of shit in a situation like this.”  
She burst into giggles. “You are too much.”  
“You and I need a distraction.”  
“Oh?”  
“Absolutely.” He waved a hand. “What would you like to do? We can play descats, which I’m told it’s a little like your game of chess. We can watch a vid.” He nodded to the large projection area on the far wall. “We can sing songs. Or trade dirty jokes.”  
She rolled her eyes. “You would beat the pants off me in a dirty joke competition.”  
“Beat the pants off of you?” His expression was pure naughtiness.  
“It means you would win, big time, you sex fiend.”  
He reached up and smoothed a hand over her breast. “Sex fiend. Dirty talk. Do I detect a pattern here, Matara?”  
She pushed his hand away. “Don’t start. We’re in the embassy, for Pete’s sake.”  
“Who is Pete?”  
“Ass.”  
He grabbed her hand and kissed it. He singled out one digit to suck into his mouth and she jolted with desire. How had he done that? She’d become like Pavlov’s dog with him and Zan, responding to their smallest advance with a flood of arousal. She squirmed on the seat, feeling his rough tongue on her skin. She summoned her strength and pulled away.  
“We can’t, Frell. Zan and Rejan are out there working hard to help me. We can’t start...something while they’re away.”  
He regarded her calmly. “And if they were here, waiting with you, do you believe they wouldn’t want to distract you and themselves by sharing sex with you, little gardener?”  
She huffed and looked away. How was she supposed to answer that? “Rejan certainly wouldn’t.”  
“Perhaps. Then again, maybe it would be the perfect thing for him to do.”  
“I think he’d rather eat glass.”  
Frell laughed. “Oh, darling girl, you are so tough! And so wrong about my Dramok.”  
She glared at him. “Am I?”  
“Yes. The man can hardly keep his eyes in his head when you’re around. He goes hard at the sound of your voice.”  
“He doesn’t.”  
“He does. He doesn’t think anyone notices, but he’s wrong about that. Given half a chance, Rejan would jump your delectable bones and fuck you until he was worn to a sliver.”  
“Half a chance?”  
“Yes. That’s the catch.” Frell sighed. “I’m not sure which half would do the trick.”  
He was sex-mad, her darling Frell. He didn’t understand that Rejan was working hard, right now, on getting rid of her. The last thing he wanted was to have sex with another troublesome Earther.  
“Well, we’ll never know, will we?”  
“Never say never, sweetness.” He pulled her to him once again. “See? I’ve distracted you with sex, haven’t I?”  
She shook her head, laughing. “Incorrigible.”  
“Does that word mean let’s make love?” He had a hand under her skirt.  
“Frell.”  
His hand slid upward, skating over her bare skin. She shivered at the sensation.  
“Oh, that was a pretty response.”  
“No! We’re in the embassy, Frell! We can’t...carry on here.”  
“Diplomats don’t have sex?”  
“You know what I mean.”  
His hand slipped between her thighs, stroked gently. She sighed. It felt so good.  
“We won’t have sex. Let’s just talk about sex. That will be a good distraction.”  
“Maybe for you--ah, oh, damn you…”  
“Tsk, Matara. Such language.”  
She didn’t reply. He was already at her pussy, sliding softly through her dampening flesh. His clever fingers plied her like she was his to command, his to take, his to make squirm and cry out and cling to him.  
“That’s it.”  
She realized she was digging her nails into his arms. She was climbing so high, so fast. She was suddenly frantic for him.  
She reached between them and grasped the seam of his pants. He hummed in pleasure as she managed to open the seam and free his gloriously rock-hard cocks. In an instant she had climbed onto his lap and was poised to take him inside her. His eyes glittered as she raised up and reached for his heated flesh. She closed her eyes but the awkward handling was beyond her.  
“I can’t...help me, please.”  
“Of course.” He reached down and positioned his cocks to enter her. The tips slipped into her entrances, both front and back. “There. Now, hang on, sweet one.”  
She put her hands on his shoulders and he took hold of her hips. With a sudden, smooth yank, he pulled her down, directly onto him. She was stretched wide as he entered her and cried out.  
“There,” he crooned. “Feel me, Bethany. I’m crammed so tight inside you. It’s wonderful.”  
She couldn’t manage words. She hadn’t known she was so keyed up until he’d challenged her. Now she felt almost desperate. She began to rock onto his delicious hardness, but Frell stopped her, gripping her hips and holding her still.  
“No, little one. You’re on top but you’re not in charge.”  
She wailed as he denied her the movement she craved. She wanted to grind down on him, make him stimulate that so-sensitive spot inside her as her quickly swelling clit rode his steely prick, but he was having none of it.  
“Stay still,” he growled. “I will move you when I’m ready.”  
She growled back and he laughed. He tilted her back so he could taste her breasts, licking around the areolae, teasing her with his delightful, rough tongue. She wriggled on his lap and he tightened his grip, refusing her any freedom save that of letting her senses go and accepting whatever he gave. She couldn’t think, didn’t want to think. She needed to have Frell, even his exquisite torment of her flesh. Everything in her mind was slipping away and she was becoming pure, simple need. She surrendered, going softer in the Imdiko’s grasp, giving him the power to take her over entirely.  
Frell felt her submission and snarled, harsh and deep, in triumph. Holding her firmly by the hips, he lifted her, their slippery flesh easing and heightening the tantalizing friction. He held her in his powerful grip, almost to the tips of his cocks, and let her hang there, suspended and needy. He looked down between them and grinned.  
“Look at us, sweet one. Look at where we fit together so perfectly.”  
She followed his gaze and saw her flesh distended around his girth, both of them glistening and wet. She moaned at the sight, pure erotic suffering coursing through her. She involuntarily clenched on him and Frell tipped his head back and shouted his pleasure. He kissed her, fiercely.  
“Oh, Matara. You are such a treasure. Even when I refuse you, you find a way to tempt my cocks.”  
He moved her down, slowly, letting every bit of their joining be felt, savored. She had no shame; she groaned the whole way, then whimpered as he pressed her down, hard, grinding up against her clit, driving her mad with the sensations that billowed through her. He took her hips and raised her again.  
“Frelll.” He kept her just at his tips once more, then made the tiniest moves to stroke at her entrances. It was not enough to permit her to climax but it was maddeningly sensuous, making excitement spiral upward throughout her body. He repeated the process: Up the tiniest bit. Down the tiniest bit. This time, she clamped deliberately onto his tips and felt him jolt.  
He pulled her tightly to his chest and bit sharply into the fleshy part of her shoulder. “Naughty girl,” he whispered in her ear. “Do you think that will get you what you want?”  
“Please, sweet Imdiko.” Her words ended on a sob. She was throbbing, shaking, and her climax was a living thing, begging and clawing at her.  
“I do like hearing you beg me.” He kissed her tenderly. “Beg me some more.”  
“I...Frell...pleease!”  
He chuckled in wicked delight, then slammed her down onto him, making her almost shriek with delight and heightened need. Her hands curled harder into his biceps.  
“Beg me, Bethany.”  
Oh, God. The man was a demon. She tried to gather her scattered wits.  
“Please, please, Frell. You feel so good inside me, so good when you move me. I need to come, Frell. Please let me come all around your wonderful hard cocks.”  
He hugged her tighter, burrowing into her neck. In some distant corner of her climax-driven brain, she prayed he wouldn’t give her the bite. She needed to stay clearheaded. Or, as clearheaded as he was permitting. But she wasn’t in charge here.  
Frell lifted his head again and she heard the labored tenor of his breathing. He reached between them and with one finger, stroked her clit. He lifted her up on his cocks, but kept his finger right there, right where it felt both wonderful and awful. Delicious and fearful.  
“I can’t hold out against you, darling girl. Come now. Fuck yourself up and down on my cocks. Make yourself come, sweetness.”  
She didn’t need a second invitation. He released her hips and she slammed herself down on him, grinding onto him. She rose and fell, rose and fell, faster and faster, harder and then--  
“Ahh!” She heard herself wailing but it was far off and completely irrelevant in the storm of her orgasm. She was sobbing, rolling her hips, clenching him over and over as she detonated into a million bits of molten joy. He held himself hard and still for her, letting her move as she wished, allowing her to come without needing to join her.  
When she was about to sag, he caught her under her ass and with one graceful lift and turn, laid her out on her back on the lounger. Growling, he slammed against her, again and again, his hips pistoning, driving him deeper, it seemed, with every thrust. He kept his hands beneath her, forcing her up so he could angle in and rut with animal intensity. His cock in her pussy drove against her G-spot with every push and she was beginning to cry out in time with his thundering drives.  
“Oh, God! Frell!” She wailed his name as she flew off over the edge once more, clawing at his back, wrapping her legs up and over him as far as they’d reach. She pulsed and writhed and twisted in the extremity of joy he brought her.  
“Bethany!” He shoved one last time and stiffened, eyes clenched shut, his magnificent body tensing everywhere as he poured himself into her. Filled her.  
They slowly returned to themselves, still panting and shaking in the aftermath of climaxes that seemed to Bethany as if he’d somehow turned her inside out. He eased his big body over hers and she stroked his back, pressed kisses to his neck, simply enjoying the creature comfort of afterglow. He lifted up at last, bracing himself on his hands, even as he remained joined with her. He smiled softly.  
“Darling girl. My darling Bethany.” He balanced easily on one hand and cupped her cheek with the other. “I was going to distract you. But you gave yourself so sweetly. You begged so beautifully. Do you know how it feels for a Kalquorian male to hear his beloved pleading for her climax?”  
She shook her head. “No. I only know how it feels to beg.”  
He frowned. “Bad?”  
She smiled. “No. Anxious and needy, yes, but not bad. I--I don’t know why, but I like it when you make me...serve you like that. When you push me.” She looked away, suddenly shy. “I don’t understand. I’m supposed to be strong and independent.”  
He rolled to his side, taking her with him. She felt his cocks softening within her, but not much. She gave a contented wiggle as a gentle aftershock rippled through her cunt.  
“You are strong and independent, Bethany. Submitting in bed is not weak or dependent. It is something you prefer and you choose to do. What do you think I would do if you refused?”  
She hadn’t really thought. “I don’t know. I--I know you wouldn’t force me.”  
“That’s right. I’m glad you know this.”  
“You’d try to persuade me, though, wouldn’t you?”  He grinned. “I’d try, yes. It excites me very much when you struggle to submit, either physically or emotionally. But if you said no, or sholt, that would tell me to stop and I would. I promise you that, little gardener. I like to dominate sexually, like most men of my kind, but there wouldn’t be much fun if you hated it.”  
“If I--”  
There was a rattle at the door, then a knock. Frell was off her in a second, helping her up and smoothing out her clothes and hair. He tucked himself back into his trousers and went to the door. Rejan and Zan stepped in. Bethany blushed as their nostrils flared. Damned Kalquorian senses of smell. She was glad neither of them seemed interested in discussing it. She wanted to know what they’d learned.  
“What did you find out?” Frell asked.  
“We are fairly sure it was the purity rebels who threatened Bethany.” Rejan made a small bow to her. “I am sorry, Matara. I’m ashamed you were harmed by my people.”  
“No, Rejan. You had nothing to do with it. These rats are criminals, trying to force their ideas on everyone else.” Bethany winced as Rejan looked away from her.  
Zan came to her and took her hand. “The Basma, their leader, was in this quadrant and we suspect some of his adherents are still in place here, probably in the capital.” His face was stone. “They won’t get away with what they did.”  
She turned to Rejan trying to snag his attention. “How dangerous are they? Are there a lot of them?”  
He conceded to her glance. “We think not. A handful, working more as spies and propagandists, Jep believes. We are prepared to deport them, as to do any other harm to them would offend Israla and her people. The law on Plasius is very much opposed to any sort of violence, no matter how well deserved.”  
“When will you know more?” Frell asked.  
“Jep sent us away to eat midday meal together. Food is being sent.”  
Bethany clung to Zan’s hand. “Have they done this to other Earthers?”  
“Not only to Earthers, but to Kalquorians, as well. Their own kind.” His voice dripped with contempt. “There has been a report from another clan here on Plasius. They wish to work with us.” Zan pulled her close to his side but he still felt more like stone than flesh and blood man. “This clan happens to know Rejan’s older brother, Denar. They sheltered a Matara shortly after she escaped from a Dantovonian slave-brothel.”  
“An Earther woman?” She didn’t dare look at Rejan this time.  
“Yes. She wasn’t with them for long. She found work right away in Islinn and has settled there, happily. But before she left, Clan Kinit was threatened. The com they received was much the same but it was clear the threat was from a purity faction.”  
“Do you think you can find them?” Frell’s fists were clenched, though his eyes weren’t savage, like Zan’s.  
“We will.” Rejan’s words were quiet and deadly sure.  
They ate their meal, which Frell and Zan still insisted they feed to her by hand, then all three went off to plan for the next phase of dealing with the rebel nest. On Ambassador Jep’s orders, Bethany remained in the suite. The less she knew right now, he said, the safer. She wasn’t sure she agreed with that but Zan begged her to stay and Frell impressed on her that they wouldn’t be able to concentrate as well if they were worried about her safety. Extra guards were placed at the entrance to the suite, which she thought was overkill, but she knew by now that it was better not to argue with protective, angry Kalquorians.  
The time alone weighed on her, though. She wandered about the big, beautiful apartment feeling like a marble rolling around in a mixing bowl. She found a tablet, managed to call up an English language book, and curled up on the enormous sleeping mat. She forced herself to read and soon was so engrossed, she was startled at the knock at the entry. She padded over to the door in her bare feet. She opened the door only to find Zan glaring at her.  
“You must never open the door without checking. I might have been anyone.”  
“But you said I was safe in the embassy.”  
He shook his head and gathered her up. “I want you to behave safely wherever you are. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”  
“Oh.” She looked up into his earnest face. “I’ll remember.”  
He kissed her wildly, a non-Zan type of kiss, fast and hard. She clung to him when he finally let her go, almost dizzy. Her Kalquorian lovers were highly emotional today, it seemed.  
She extricated herself and went to the cold storage unit against the wall. “Water?”  
He nodded, then slumped down onto the lounger. He ran his hand over his scalp, then undid his tight braid. His glossy hair slid over his shoulders, making him look even wilder. She brought him a water pouch, then sat on the lounger next to him, her feet tucked up under her skirt.  
He downed half the pouch in one long gulp. He looked hot and frustrated. She wanted to pepper him with questions but he looked so irritated, she chose to wait and let him speak in his own time. Meanwhile, she drank in the sight of him, the exotic look of his long hair, his carven features, the massive construction of his body. He sent shivers through her just sitting still.  
He turned his head from side to side, frowning, sniffing. Then, his expression cleared and softened. “My damned Imdiko had a nice time while Rejan and I worked, didn’t he?”  
She colored up. “Yes. I’m sorry, Zan.”  
“Why are you sorry?”  
“Because you were working and you couldn’t...you know...share.”  
He reached out and stroked her cheek. “Such a sweet Matara. I don’t mind, really, little one. I’m a little envious, yes, but I’m glad Frell took your mind off your worries and made you feel good. He did make you feel good, didn’t he?”  
She nodded, wide-eyed. He chuckled. “I can smell how good it was. What’s more, Frell knows if I were the one alone here with you, I would do the very same.”  
“Ah.” She sipped her water, suddenly feeling very warm at the look in Zan’s eyes.  
“I can’t stay long. I just wanted to see you. We think we have the bastards pinpointed and are laying plans to go in and take them first thing tomorrow morning. Clan Kinit will be with us.” He reached out and toyed with a strand of her hair. “I’m to tell you we are dining in the Ambassador’s suite this evening.”  
She pulled back. “Oh, God! I can’t! I look a mess. And he must have more important duties than my little worries.”  
He hauled her against his side. “Shh. You look lovely at all times. The Ambassador knows we never intended to stay here tonight but it looks like we will. If you wish to change, lovely one, I will send word to that shop, Bliss. They can deliver something to you. My clanmates and I will not be dressing for evening meal, however. You don’t really need to do more than wash and comb your beautiful hair.”  
“You’re sure?” She didn’t want the clan spending any more money on clothes for her.  
“I am. Frell told me what to say.”  
She began to giggle. “Oh, he is a piece of work.”  
Zan smiled. “Yes. He is.” He pulled her onto his lap. “Am I a work-piece?”  
She kissed him sweetly. “You’re a work of art, my handsome man.”  
He sighed. “I want you so much right now I feel my eyes crossing. Hell, I think my cocks are crossing.”  
“Now, that really sounds like Frell.”  
He chuckled. “It does. Rejan would say our damned Imdiko is a bad influence on me.”  
She waved a hand dismissively. “Sour grapes.”  
He looked mystified. She nodded. “An old Earther saying. When someone doesn’t get what he really wants, he tries to claim that it wasn’t worth having, anyway.”  
“Not sure why that means grapes, but all right.”  
Bethany squirmed against his very rapidly heating erections. She saw his need and his edginess. Frell had helped her. She would help Zan. The notion of serving him made her instantly hotter.  
Her hand slipped down and pressed against him. He shifted with a soft groan. “No, darling one. There’s no time.”  
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” She slipped her hand inside his pants and gathered as much of him as she could hold, a very large handful. He was already beginning to lubricate. She pulled his waistband loose and freed him. Wrapping her hand around his larger cock, she stroked up and down.  
“Bethany.” His voice was deep and needful in the silence of the big room.  
“Shh.” She worked him purposefully, then leaned forward to kiss his mouth. He seemed almost stunned and she reveled in the fun of having the upper hand on Zan in the kissing department.  
His big hands found her breasts and fondled her deeply. She pressed her cheek to his and whispered in his ear. “You make me feel like a princess.”  
“If all princesses could do what you’re doing to me now, no princes, kings, or emperors would have the energy to go to war.”  
“Smooth talker.”  
His laughter rumbled in his chest. She decided it was time to speed things up a bit. Before he could catch her, she slid down and took him into her mouth.  
“Ah, suns!”  
She wiggled with satisfaction even as she suckled at him, going wickedly from mere touch to wildness in zero seconds flat. His hands were on her head in an instant, guiding her up and down on him. She smiled around his bulk. She knew he wouldn’t allow her to take charge for long.  
She rubbed her tongue along the underside of his cock and he gasped. He gripped her to hold her still, and began to rut up into her mouth. He must have been very tense and ready. She worked to breathe and to take him as deeply as she could and before she knew it, he let out a howl and began to pulse into her mouth. Her held her there for many long moments after he finished, sighing and groaning his pleasure. When he could speak at last, he gave a short laugh.  
“Little gardener, you could kill a man that way.”  
He let her go and she lifted her head to look at him. “You’d die a happy man, yes?”  
She raised the back of her hand to wipe her chin. He engulfed her in a hot, swift kiss. “I would happily die for you at any moment, sweetness. Kill for you, die for you, give my life gladly. But I don’t want to do it yet. I need to get even with you for this little episode, my naughty girl.”  
She giggled. He sighed, finished off his water, then put his clothes to rights. He stood and held out his hand. She walked with him to the door.  
“Now, no more opening the door without checking. Frell, Rejan, and I will come to get you and we’ll go to the ambassador’s suite.”  
“So, should we have a secret password so I know it’s you?”  
“Fine, choose one.”  
“How about you call like a giraffe three times?” She giggled at his confused stare. “Old joke. Giraffes don’t make sounds.” She waved her hands. “Never mind my silliness. The password is mush-pot.”  
He repeated it, still looking lost. Then he smiled. He caressed her lips with a big thumb. “Thank you for the rest and pleasure, pretty girl. I feel better.”  
“All right.” She quivered at the heat behind his words. Then he was gone and she was alone again. She washed and combed her hair and even found a steam device to freshen and remove the wrinkles from her clothes. Two romps with her lovers had rendered them rather puckered. The knock came, she checked, Zan rumbled the word, mush-pot, and the clan came into the suite. They freshened up and off they went, to dine with the ambassador for the great empire of Kalquor.  
Later, Bethany woke in the middle of the huge sleeping mat. Zan and Frell had cuddled her between them all night, and they’d almost worn her out with their delicious sexual demands. Now, however, her men were absent from the bed.  
She got up, tugged on one of their shirts, and padded out to the main room, rolling up the sleeves. It was still dark and the three of them were shadowy in black formsuits, skintight and armored. She gulped as she took in the weapons at their hips, including Frell’s.  
“We leave in a moment, Bethany.” Rejan looked at her with calm detachment, his tone bland. Did he feel anything for her? Or was this all about his duty and his loyalty to his clan? She supposed it didn’t matter. The results were the same. Three men were going into danger for her sake. She bit her lip, then nodded.  
“Thank you. You are all such good friends to me.”  
Zan managed a halfway decent wink at her. Had he been practicing? “There you go again. Good friend. I’m aiming for much better, remember?”  
She smiled but she didn’t feel merry. “I remember.”  
Frell wasn’t going to be so reticent. “Kiss me, little one. I need the taste of you to take with me.” He crossed to her and melted her with a searing kiss.  
“There.” He licked his lips. “Delicious.” He turned to Rejan. “All right, I’m ready.”  
Rejan rolled his eyes and headed for the door. Zan touched Bethany’s cheek. “We plan to be back by midday meal, sweetness. There are few of them, many of us, and we know much more than they imagine.” He looked refreshed, eager. “Be ready. I plan to work up an appetite.”  
She could hardly choke out an answer before they were out the door. “Be smart. Be safe.” Her Gran had always called that out to her when she went out. She prayed they’d obey.  
Jep commed her an hour later. His bushy brows were drawn, but his news was good. “It was a very simple and successful maneuver, Matara Bethany. They were caught by surprise and offered almost no resistance. I want you to know that we are grateful to you. If you and your clan had not come forward, we might have still been unaware that there was a faction here on Plasius.”  
“Is everyone--no one’s hurt?”  
“Only a minor skirmish. Nothing bad. Your clan will be with you soon.”  
She sagged as his image vanished. They were safe! They were going to be here soon and they were safe! She wrapped her arms around herself and shook for a long moment. She’d been more scared than she had known. If anything had happened to her clan--  
Her clan? What was she thinking? They were not her clan. They had never shown the slightest interest in clanning her. They’d never even said they loved her. They were sweet and kind and protective but they were not interested in a Matara. That went double with Rejan as their Dramok. He’d never invite a Matara into his clan. He barely tolerated her now. He’d be very glad that this was over and she no longer had any reason to stay at the villa.  
She needed to set her mind on going home. That was good, right? Going home, living in her own house, on her own? Then, they would leave for their home, weeks upon weeks away from Plasius. They would live their lives and forget all about the woman who’d caused so much trouble for them once upon a time. She gulped. She loved Zan and Frell. But it was impossible to think about being with them. She had to stiffen her spine and go back to the world where she was her own family, a family of one.  
The men trooped in just as Jep had said, exhilarated and bristling with energy. Plainly, Kalquorians liked a fight. Zan strode over to her at once and swung her up in the air like a child.  
“All done, pretty girl. The gurlucks admitted everything and are in custody. They’ll be deported to Kalquor in two days’ time.” He growled, disappointed. “They didn’t give us much of fight, though.”  
She braced her arms on his shoulders and smiled down at him. “Thank you.” She looked at Frell and Rejan. Even the Dramok looked pleased with himself. “Thank you all--” She halted. Rejan was sporting a large bandage on his upper arm. “What--” She struggled, trying to get Zan to let her down. “What happened to you, Rejan?”  
He shrugged, then winced at the motion. “Not much. It wasn’t a very exciting confrontation.”  
Zan lowered her and she strode over to Rejan. “Not exciting? Then what is that on your arm? The latest fashion on Kalquor?”  
He looked down at her, startled at her vehemence. “I’ve had worse, Matara.”  
“I told you all to be smart and safe when you left! You didn’t listen and now you’re--”  
To her own horror, she teared up. Fighting for her dignity, she brushed at her eyes and glared up at the tall Dramok. “You’re hurt. You got hurt because of me.”  
He raised a brow. “Not everything is about you, you know.”  
She gaped. “What?”  
“I got hurt because some assholes who want to trash the laws of the Empire and make other people miserable chose to fire on me.”  
“Yes, but--”  
He brushed past her. “We should get ready for dinner. After that, we can return home. Frell, come help me with this damn bandage?  
“I will.”  
The two of them left the room. Bethany turned to face Zan. Her anxiety and fear had transformed into anger. “He is the most insufferable, insolent, rude--”  
Zan chuckled and came to her side. “Yes. He is. He also doesn’t like to be thanked. He likes to do good things in secret.”  
She wondered about that, but it was true that he had done a good thing and she couldn’t deny that she had benefited. Well, he wouldn’t have to be annoyed by her any longer. Dinner with the ambassador was pleasant but Bethany was worn out emotionally from waiting and worrying. As soon as they got back to the villa, she went to her room and began to pack. She shouldered her bag and went to the gathering room, where all three were lounging. Zan scowled at the bag.  
“I’ve commed for a shuttle. I can’t thank you enough for all your kindness. All of you.” Her eyes swept over their faces. Frell looked stricken, Zan thunderous. Rejan simply looked away.  
“You’re going home?” Zan rumbled.  
“Yes. I’ve imposed on you long enough and you have things you need to do before you leave for Kalquor.” She smiled as best she could manage. “Perhaps I can give you dinner before you go. It’s not much, compared to all you’ve done for me, but I want you to know I’m grateful.”  
“Grateful?” Frell, so easy-going and genial usually, sounded tight and angry.  
“Yes. Of course. You found me, took me in, investigated the people who threatened me. I am very grateful.”  
“And this is how you show it?”  
She stared at Zan. He’d never barked at her before. She eyed him and Frell. Were they joking with her again?  
It was Rejan who explained. “My clanmates don’t want you to leave, Matara. Staying would be better thanks to them.”  
“But you don’t want me here.” She hadn’t meant to state it so baldly, but she was startled that he was even speaking to her.  
Rejan’s eyes flickered with heat for a moment, then went dark again. “My clanmates care for you. I think they are owed your thanks. They are the ones who insisted we help. I think you need to reconsider their feelings.”  
She felt her heart actually aching in her chest. She hadn’t thought about how they might feel if she just left. Rejan was right, it wasn’t always about her. She looked to her two sweethearts.  
“You really want me to stay?”  
“Oh, hell no,” Frell said airily. “We’re just saying it to be polite.” He bounced up and took her bag. “All right, no more Imdiko Nice Guy, Bethany. If you don’t stay, we’ll break into your house again and camp out on your lounger. Or your bed.”  
“You won’t be rid of us. We’re pests.” Zan’s tone was light, too, but she saw the look of longing in his eyes.  
Her eyes slid to Rejan. He sat very still and cool in his chair.  
“You would rather I went home, yes?”  
“Yes, Matara. But I am overruled in this. We don’t have much time left on Plasius and I want my Nobek and my Imdiko to have their pleasure before we go back to work on Kalquor.”  
Their pleasure. Was that all she was to them? She looked back at the other two. Frell set her bag to one side and slipped his arm around her waist.  
“We want you, Bethany. We want your company. Like Rejan said, we care for you. We also like you very much. Please stay.”  
Zan touched her hair. “Pretty girl, I’m not ready to let you go.”  
She gulped, thinking about the time when he would be ready. But their handsome faces were anxious, their embrace warm. If only for a time, she could feel she belonged with them. It was a feeling she craved.  
“If you are sure?” she asked Rejan.  
He nodded and rose. “You are welcome to stay. I need to finish some work.”  
He stalked from the room. Bethany looked up at Zan. “He does not want me here.”  
“Don’t be too sure, sweet one.”  
“What--”  
Frell tugged her arm. “Let’s go to your home and get your clothes. Personally, I’d prefer you spend every moment naked but it’s your choice.”  
She was laughing as they left. When they returned, Zan carried her things to her room while Frell went to begin the evening meal.  
“You have made us so happy, pretty girl.” Zan pulled her into his arms.  
She smiled and rubbed her cheek on his chest. “I’m happy, too.” Except for the way Rejan felt about her. How were they to co-exist over the next days until they were ready to leave Plasius?  
Zan released her. “Come swim with me before mealtime.”  
“No suit--oh, what am I saying?” She pouted half-heartedly. “You probably wouldn’t even allow me to swim in anything but my skin, right?”  
Zan’s answering look was all innocence. “We would never impose our values on a guest.”  
“No, but I know you. You don’t play fair. You’d find some way to get me naked while swimming the two-meter butterfly.”  
“How can an insect make butter fly, Matara?”  
She gave him a gentle push. “All right, stinker. Let’s go skinny-dipping.”  
She was exhausted by the time they dried off and trooped in to dinner, wearing wrappers. Zan had of course sneaked many touches and kisses but he’d put her through her paces in the water and she realized how much she needed regular exercise again.  
Rejan did not join them for dinner and she could see it saddened both Frell and Zan. A few minutes into the first course, she hopped up from her cushion and headed down the hall to his room. She knocked at the door, feeling far less brave than she was acting. Zan and Frell stood at the end of the hall, staring.  
Rejan opened the door and blinked. “Matara?”  
“Come to the table, Rejan. It’s time to eat with your clan.”  
His gaze went steely. “Are you ordering me, Matara?”  
She put her hands on her hips, chin up. “Yes. You’re hurting their feelings and I won’t permit that. I will wait and eat later if you really can’t take the sight of me, but you will respect Frell’s efforts and Zan’s feelings.”  
Rejan stared at her for a long moment, then his expression softened. “You are right. I will come.”  
She stepped back, amazed he’d acquiesced so quickly. He went past her and headed down the hall toward his clanmates. He stopped and turned. “I can stand it if you can, Matara.”  
He turned and kept going into the dining area. She kept her chin up as she joined Frell and Zan, who both hugged her until her ribs creaked. Without another word, they led her back to her seat and in moments, voluble, warm-hearted Frell had them discussing the coming festival the capital was mounting. Bethany stole glances at Rejan was Zan and Frell fed her. He joined in the conversation and ate his meal, but he looked decidedly uncomfortable.  
She sighed, inwardly. He was a stubborn man. He could see reason and he could do his duty but damned if he was going to enjoy it without reserve.  
She looked around at the three men. Frell, so gorgeous and lively. Zan, so imposing and calm. Rejan, so sharp and cautious. They did make an interesting trio and she knew how much Rejan loved his clanmates, just from the way he stood up for their wants and needs, even when they clashed with his own. She also got a good look at him physically. He was every bit as handsome as the others, in her eyes, and she shivered suddenly at a memory of that deep, deep voice rumbling in her ear as he loomed over her, naked and ready to take her.  
She jolted as she met his eyes. Heat flooded her cheeks and she looked quickly away. She shifted her attention to Frell, who was offering her some fruit. She smiled and accepted the morsel. She’d keep her thoughts from straying to the dark, moody Dramok and concentrate on enjoying and being enjoyed by the other two. She’d keep her eyes to herself.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

ALIEN HEART  
based on the Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
Chapter Nineteen  
Rejan shook his head as he paced in the garden. He was an idiot, that much was certain. First, he’d insisted Bethany stay with them for the duration of their stay. He’d argued that she needed to care for Zan and Frell’s feelings and she’d agreed to remain. Not three hours later, the woman had stormed down the hall in a wrapper and turned the tables on him, arguing that he was the one who needed to care for the feelings of his Nobek and Imdiko. She was tough, for an Earther. She’d stood up to him again and she’d been in the right to do so. Why did he keep fucking up around her?  Then, at the table, he’d tried not watch as his clanmates fed her, joyously, and she had beamed at them. The soft wrapper had slipped lower and he saw that incredibly soft ivory skin that curved just above her breasts. He’d gone hot as her lips closed around Frell’s finger, sucking the sauce off of it. His Imdiko had laughed his delight and envy had raced through Rejan’s heart. Was she truly that open and free that she would actually join in sensual play?   
He’d hardened at the sight of Zan stroking her arm as he offered her the best of the fish Frell had prepared for them. Her eyes always seemed to soften when she looked at Zan. They sparkled when she looked at Frell. In turn, his clanmates seemed more relaxed and contented than he’d seen them in a long time. He’d also caught the scent of their arousal as the little redhead obeyed their urgings to open and let them feed her. Their arousal was anticipatory, he knew. They were looking forward to bedding with her that night. Or before. His Nobek and his Imdiko would enjoy every pleasure Rejan could imagine, and he’d already found that when it came to fantasies about Bethany Corddray, he could imagine quite a lot.   
In the middle of that erotic reverie, she had looked across the table, directly at him. He had a momentary impulse to smile at her, then went cold as he thought about how she might catch his arousal and be horrified. Terrified.   
He’d lowered his gaze at once, his meal suddenly unappetizing. The faint image of a tall, fair-haired girl brushed his conscience and he’d wanted to fling himself away from the table, cursing. Larke. Larke still haunted him and since Bethany had come into their lives, her ghost, the one that lived in his mind, had appeared more often. Flames and smoke tickled his senses, chasing through his body and driving out even his increasing desire.   
Another reason to avoid his clanmates’ little partner. It wouldn’t be long before they were due to depart for home. He would just have to avoid and endure.   
Over the next few days, he found his resolve tested many times. He slept fitfully in his room, avoiding the sleeping room where his clan lay wrapped around Bethany, sex-warmed and blissfully sated. His cocks ached when he saw her swimming naked with Zan, the water glistening off her pale skin, slender legs kicking as she cut gracefully through the sparkling water. He swore under his breath and left the house when he’d come into the gathering room and seen that Frell had lowered one half of her pretty sundress and was sucking lustily at one rosy breast while Bethany tilted back her head and whimpered softly in delight. Again, the stench of flames, the shrieks of shame and misery echoed in his mind, driving him to run to the central park and walk for hours, putting his clamoring needs and his desperate fears into the boxes he’d constructed carefully for them.   
He was in the central market district now, drinking and watching the people around him, calm for the time being. He eyed a Plasian couple as they approached a pair of younger men, clearly proposing some lusty endeavor. As the group retreated to a partially shaded alcove, he’d given some thought to relieving his own needy body with an amiable Plasian female. Or two. Their golden tongues wrapped around his cocks would be a delight.   
He frowned. There was no answering clamor from within him. The thought of having sex with Plasian women didn’t seem to bother the ghosts of his past. It was only Bethany who roused them. Was that simply because she was Earther? Quite likely. But was there something more?   
With the Plasians, or any other species save his own and Earth’s, there was no need to even consider a relationship. He was a man who wanted children and he knew it was Zan’s desire as well. As for Frell, they hadn’t yet discussed it in any depth, but he got the feeling that for his Imdiko, the more the merrier. He’d been playing on the beach with his nephew the day they’d met. He loved people and he loved life. Children would expand that love even further.   
However, his clan’s future Matara was within the ranks of the women of Kalquor. He wasn’t a purist, it was simply a fact of life: if he ruled out Earthers--and he did--the only compatible females for them were Kalquorians. Finding and wooing a Kalquorian woman, then hoping she could conceive and bear children who survived was a daunting prospect. Having so few females on his planet meant all Mataras could choose from the very best clans in the Empire. Rejan’s clan had wealth, a certain level of status, and not repellant bodies, especially his Imdiko’s. Yet even these things weren’t enough to guarantee a Matara would choose them. Even less chance if it was clear the Matara was fertile, capable of conception and child-bearing. Such a woman would be inundated with suitors.  
But what about love?   
Rejan snorted softly at the thought. Love was a trap, he’d learned that lesson well enough. First, as a witness to his fathers’ grief when Rejan’s mother had died. It had nearly wrecked them and he and his brother had had to shoulder much of the weight of their businesses during their lengthy mourning. Then, he’d been given the most ruthless lesson of all: his relationship with Larke. No, love was ridiculous. And he certainly wasn’t in love with Bethany.  
There was no reason, then, other than her Earther ancestry, for his memories to be roused. After all, it was why he’d run from her after that night they’d spent at Israla’s. That was all that was troubling him. She was an enticing little playmate but only for the short term and only for his clanmates. Two weeks and they’d be gone. He’d make it.   
Then again, maybe he wouldn’t, he thought later that night as he stood in the darkened breezeway and watched Frell and Zan taking her together, front and back, as she stood on a little platform, her wrists lashed overhead to a crossbeam of the pergola at one end of the garden. They moved with beautiful rhythm, suspending her between them so she was supported but still helpless. With their alternating strokes that went deep within her passages, her body writhed beautifully under their combined assault. Their sensual groans and outcries floated up and Rejan had to turn, go to his room and use his hands to gain relief from the ache of his desires.   
Afterward, he lay in the dark and made plans to travel for the next few days. He had to be away from the villa with all its longing and its fears.   
#  
Bethany watched as Rejan bid goodbye to his clanmates and walked out to the waiting shuttle. He’d announced at morning meal that he had business in Daelix that he needed to complete before he left Plasius. Frell and Zan had nodded but she could see they were dismayed.   
“All right,” she said as they closed the door behind Rejan. “It’s time to talk.”  
She led the way to the gathering room and they sat. She knew from their expressions that they were thinking the same things as she, maybe worse.   
“It’s pretty clear Rejan is miserable with me here.” Zan started to protest but she raised her hand. “No. I’m all right. I understand what’s the matter. It’s not fair to him to have me here. I’m moving home, my sweet ones. I won’t come between you and your Dramok.”  
Frell gazed at her sorrowfully. “You’re right. We were selfish to allow Rejan to give in to our wishes.”  
Zan studied his hands. “I don’t want you to go.”  
“I don’t really want to leave you. But you can understand that it’s no fun for any of us to see Rejan suffering.”  
Frell nodded. “You are kind, little one. I can’t help but think Rejan’s being a bit of a butthead about this, however.” She blinked. He chuckled. “I like that word, butthead. And that’s what Rejan is right now. He wants you so much he’s ready to burst but he won’t admit it.”  
Zan looked at his Imdiko. “I thought I was imagining it.”  
“You weren’t. How can anyone who’s made love to our Bethany not want her, again and again? No, he desires her but he can’t reconcile that with his feelings about Larke and Earth. With each passing day, the conflict within him is growing. I don’t know how much more our Dramok can take.”  
Bethany nodded. “Frell’s right. And while I want to be with you two as long as I can, I hate being a bone of contention in your clan even more. It makes me miserable, too.”  
Zan’s expression was darkly mournful. “Maybe he needs more of you rather than less. Maybe we need to press him to get past it.”  
Frell studied her intently. “Bethany, how would you feel about that?”  
She sighed. “I couldn’t do it. He doesn’t deserve to be forced and if I’m any judge, Rejan would resent it, deeply. If he’d even allow it. He’s already made one escape, just today.”  
“He doesn’t want to let us down and he doesn’t want to be reminded of Larke and he doesn’t want to admit that he would love to watch your lovely face while his cocks are buried deep inside you, little gardener. He’s a big ball of confusion just now.” Frell looked from her to Zan and back. “She’s right, my Nobek. We can see her at her home and other places, but I think for Rejan’s sake, she should move back.”  
Zan reached for her and she went to sit in his lap. He kissed her hair. “Are you sure, pretty girl?”  
“I am. I don’t want to hurt Rejan or you two.” She grinned up at him. “I know I don’t have a bed that will hold both of you big behemoths, but we can manage. Besides, we don’t have to have sex every minute of every day.”   
Frell drew back in mock horror. “Bite your tongue!”  
She giggled. “Sex fiend.”  
Zan sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Butthead or not, it isn’t right to make Rejan be the one to sacrifice for us.” He fondled a breast, his expression relaxing and warming. “But Frell is right about the sex. Be prepared, sweetness. I intend to take all I can get of you while you’re here.” He looked up at Frell, one corner of his mouth quirking. “Do we have a good supply of stim tabs, my Imdiko?”  
“Stim tabs, cock rings, leshella, you name it.” Frell’s beautiful eyes were shining with naughty anticipation. “I ordered some giant pool toys and they arrived yesterday. We can fuck our darling while we float.”  
“Oh, my God.” Bethany buried her face in Zan’s shirt. “I’m not going to be able to walk, am I?”  
Frell tapped his chin. “We may have to alert the neighbors. Then again, this is Plasius. Why would they care if we make erotic noises all day and night?”  
Zan’s laughter vibrated through her. “They’d probably set up vid recorders.”  
The two days went by in a lusty haze. Just as they’d vowed, Zan and Frell took every opportunity to engage in sex, including many inventive acts in the pool together. The giant inflatable toys were put to very surprising uses. The two men happily introduced Bethany to the delights of erotic spanking, bending her over their laps, one of them peppering her ass as the other finger-fucked her to madness. She still didn’t understand why that pain aroused her or why she should love it when they bound her or took her roughly. She decided, ultimately, that it didn’t matter. She never felt abused, shamed, hurt, or degraded. It seemed the more she submitted, the greater their ardor and the more tenderly they cared for her. She felt adored and she adored them.   
At last, the idyll came to an end. Bethany packed once again and Zan and Frell moved her back to her own apartment, which the mush-pots had had cleaned and aired for her return. They’d also stocked her cold unit, and filled every nook and tabletop with fresh flowers before she arrived. She kissed them tenderly as they said goodbye.   
“Don’t come back tonight,” she told them firmly as they left. “Give Rejan all your attention for the next couple of days, understood? He needs you.”  
They promised and she watched their shuttle pull away. She went inside to get unpacked and get resettled. She giggled as she found absolutely raunchy little notes and charming sketches from Frell tucked here and there. There were flower petals in her freshly-made bed, and a prettily wrapped box by her bedside. She opened it and found an exquisite bracelet of delicate, wrought platinum vines wound around a richly green stone that she suspected might be a real emerald, a very, very rare stone on this world. A small note came with it. All it said was, “For darling Bethany. Zan.”   
She wandered around her little cottage, tears edging up. Her heart and home had been invaded by Kalquor more certainly than Kalquor had invaded Earth. Everywhere she looked was some sign or token of her beloveds. They already knew her so well, it was almost scary. Frell had ordered all her favorite foods and drinks, including a large crock of real coffee. Zan had expanded her basic com system to something that had to be state of the art, although she cringed when she saw he’d added some howling Kalquorian lemanthev music to her playlist. If she was going to be apart from them, they’d made darn sure she was reminded of them everywhere she turned.   
Even as her love for them welled up, she knew she was in trouble. Her heart was going to break into tiny shards when they left. It was good that she’d come home. Maybe now she could get some distance and prepare herself to say goodbye.   
When Zan and Frell visited her two days later, however, they told her that Rejan had had a com from a business on Ruvanin, a satellite colony. They wanted to begin dealing with Rejan’s company and were coming to Plasius to discuss all the particulars. The clan would be staying for three more weeks.   
“Oh, wow. Rejan must be conflicted about that.”  
Frell patted her hand. “Never mind. He will be occupied, as this is a very big customer and negotiations will be involved.”  
“Meanwhile.” Zan was already unbuttoning the front of her dress. “I can’t wait another second to have you.”  
Bethany accompanied Frell and Zan to Frell’s studio the next day. It was time to sort through his work and begin readying things to be packed and sent on transport back to Kalquor. Bethany was constantly distracted in the process. She would pick up a sketch or a painting and have to sit down and study it, or take it to another area and examine it in different light. She knew Frell was sensitive about his artwork, so she tried not to gush, much as she loved it. He had a unique voice and style and his use of color resonated deeply within her. She’d never seen anything like it. Just the same, she made sure to bracket her praises with comments about how a piece might be altered or reinterpreted, not because she thought it needed it, but so he wouldn’t think she was just blowing smoke. He began to cheer up as they went through many pieces he’d done in the time he’d spent on Plasius. He began to talk about plans for a series of huge Plasian landscapes he wanted to do and for a sculpture he had sketched. She listened carefully and noted his wariness dropping away and the more-usual light returning to his eyes. It hurt her that he so obviously loved art and was so talented but something kept him from fully enjoying the work he was too passionate to abandon.   
She asked Zan about it when they were alone. His eyes went flinty. “His parents did not want him to be an artist--well, all but his Nobek father. They discouraged him and even made him feel ashamed that he couldn’t seem to stop drawing or painting. They told him from the first that he had no talent and shouldn’t keep trying. He did everything he could to please them, became a pilot, studied engineering, did his service in the Inkil Quadrant, aboard a cruiser. He kept his art a secret for years. They never have allowed him to discuss it.”   
She felt her anger blaze. “Like art was some sort of criminal activity. What a completely shitty thing to do!”  
He looked a little startled at her language, then smiled one of his tiny smiles. “He could have used a champion like you when he was growing up. He still needs that. His art is starting to be recognized all over the galaxy and beyond, yet he still finds it difficult to call himself an artist or accept praise for his work.”  
“You and Rejan encourage him, don’t you?”  
“We do, as much as we can. We are very proud of him. But he discounts us sometimes, saying we have to say nice things because we are clanmates. We also don’t know that much about art or being an artist. To have you comment on things like color and depth and proportion is a treat for him.”  
“I want to smack his parents,” she growled.  
Zan hugged her quickly. “My Nobek princess. I would love to turn you loose on them. But they’re his parents and my in-laws. We need to keep peace in the family.”  
“I’m going to buy a couple of his pieces before he leaves.” She returned to sorting through some sketches. “And not because I feel sorry for him. I love his work.”  
“He would be flattered, though I doubt he’d let you pay for them. Rejan was the first person ever to buy one of Frell’s paintings and he had to do that in secret so Frell would accept payment. Frell didn’t discover who’d started his career until someone let it slip at our clanning celebration.”  
She considered this after they left her cottage that afternoon. Rejan’s devotion to his clan was steadfast and strong and she admired it greatly. She might not be there, but Zan and Frell would be living with someone who cared deeply for them and would protect their interests, even if he had to do it behind their backs.   
She felt uneasy with these thoughts. Rejan was obviously deeply protective of his clanmates. When he’d rejected her, he’d done so not just because of his dislike for Earthers, but because he saw her as a threat to their peace and happiness. He wanted to be sure no one hurt his Nobek and Imdiko. He’d also shown his love and his fairness when he’d allowed her to stay with them. It had been torturous for him to have her around but he’d done it to insure Frell and Zan’s happiness.   
At last, it dawned on her with sudden clarity that Rejan wasn’t just their leader or a friend. He was their husband. Their lover. For good or ill, he acted as he did out of love for them. After the hurts he’d sustained on Earth, it was a wonder he’d even tolerate her speaking to his beloved lifemates. Greater still that he’d risked his safety and been injured protecting her, all because his clan cared for her.   
He was still sardonic, rude, and bossy, but he was a good man, after all. She had put him and his clan through too much turmoil. It was time to make amends. She commed Rejan and asked to meet with him at the villa the next day. She clicked off and spent a restless evening, wondering what she was going to say. Frell escorted her to the breezeway, curiosity clearly eating him up. Still, she waved him away so she could go into the back garden alone. She went through the stone archway and took a seat on a carved bench in the shade of an old tree. It was a lovely spot. She sat quietly for several minutes, breathing deeply, calming herself.  
“Bethany.”  
She looked up to see Rejan in the archway and stiffened. He was looking at her like she might turn into a screeching harpy at any moment. Like he was was ready to run. Well, she couldn’t really blame him, could she? She softened her posture and managed a smile.  
“Come sit.” She patted the bench beside her. “Please.”   
He moved with his usual powerful grace but his look was still wary. She clasped her hands in her lap. The smell of titlanti and lime roses wove their sweetness on the breeze. She nodded around at the scene.  
“This is a beautiful place. It looks wild but it’s obviously planned. Whoever landscaped this knew what he or she was doing.”  
“That would have been my Imdiko grandfather in my Nobek father’s line. He liked to say we Kalquorians are so tall that we have our heads in the skies too much. He claimed it did him good to get down close to the ground and remember his roots.”  
“A wise man.”  
“Says the gardener.” He softened the words with a smile. “He was right. We Kalquorians are big and we have a proud history. But we can be arrogant, at times, and forget that we aren’t masters of the universe.” He gave a dry laugh. “The loss of our Mataras should be enough to remind us of that.”  
“Oh, I wouldn’t get too down on yourselves. It was a virus that cost you your Mataras. I’m from Earth, remember? We imagined we were the only creatures created in the likeness of the god of the universe. No virus got to us. Our asshat leaders blew up their own planet because of their arrogance.”  
Rejan’s mouth quirked. “I’ve been meaning to ask, Matara, just what does asshat mean?”  
“It’s not polite, that’s for sure, though it isn’t anything as bad as the Kalquorian name I threw at you. I’m sorry about that, by the way. I know it’s a horrible word. But as for asshat...” She giggled. “Sometimes we say a person is so mixed up or wrong that he must have his head up his ass. An asshat is a person whose head is so far up his butt that he’s wearing his ass for a hat.”  
He shook his head, eyes wide. “You are one mean Matara.”  
She laughed. “I know. Especially when I’m hurt or angry. If it’s any consolation, I don’t really think you’re an asshat. Anymore.”  
“I want to talk to you about that. I believe you’ve been honest with me and my clan and you’ve proven yourself a loyal friend. And a good lover to my clanmates. I think it’s time I told you my story.”  
“You mean about Larke?”  
He nodded. “What happened and why I have avoided Earthers.”  
“Rejan, it’s all right. I understand. What happened to you on Earth was horrible. Something like that can leave some bad, bad, scars.”   
He scowled and shifted on the bench. His eyes looked everywhere but at her. She went on, trying to reassure him. He still didn’t trust her, did he? “Zan and Frell told me all about it. I don’t like the way you behaved the night we met, but I understand why you overreacted. I’m okay now. It makes perfect sense.”  
“No, Bethany, it doesn’t!”   
She blinked at his sudden vehemence. “What do you mean?”  
“Zan and Frell...they don’t know the whole story. I’ve never told anyone what happened on Earth. With Larke.”  
She tilted her head. His face looked haunted, his mouth drawn. What could possibly make the tough, almost haughty, Dramok look so ashamed? “Tell me.”  
He turned toward her. “I know Zan and Frell think I was heartbroken over the loss of a love. But what they don’t know is that it’s my fault Larke and her father died.”  
“How can that be? Zan said you weren’t even there.”  
He looked ill. “No. I wasn’t there. You see, a couple of weeks before…the fire, I’d received a com telling me I was being recalled to Kalquor. I knew that if I was going back to my home world, Larke could go with me. We’d be lifemates.” He plucked a blade of purple gonjor grass and twisted it in his hands. “I did love her. She had given herself to me, an alien, and her heart, too. But she was also deeply indoctrinated with the fears and shame Earth associates with sex and the body. She tried to please me, I tried to please her, but it was no good. Every time we shared sex, she cried and ran from me and suffered for days afterward. She would harm herself, chopping at her hair. Cutting her skin.”  
“Oh, Rejan.” She didn’t know what else to say. This was not what she’d expected.  
He took another deep breath. “When I got my orders, I packed and hiked out of the mountains to the Kalquorian base. I had to make my report to them in person and tell them my plans. As I went, I had a lot of time alone to think. I was…” His fists clenched. “I was such a selfish asshat rat bastard!”  
“Oh, no. Hey!” She wanted to put her arms around him but she wasn’t sure he’d welcome her sympathy. Her voice warmed and steadied. “Okay, what kind of asshat-ery did you commit?”  
His eyes stared ahead, as if seeing the scene before him.   
“As I traveled, I thought about how I was a Dramok but I didn’t have a clan of my own. I thought about how Larke hated having sex with me. I thought about how I didn’t even have a real job, I was just putting in my service time. I thought about how other males wouldn’t want to clan with me because I’d already chosen a Matara. How even if they wanted to join my clan, they wouldn’t be able to get past all of Larke’s problems with sex and...and dominance. Three mates would have sent her screaming. This was before the war, before we had come to know that Earther females were reproductively compatible with us, so Earther Mataras were all but unheard of on Kalquor. I thought about how she might not be accepted in Kalquorian society and how hard that would be for me. In short, I thought about myself the whole way out and the whole way back. The more I thought, the slower I went.” His voice ground out the words.  
“Those were all valid problems, I think.”  
He shook his head. “Larke and her father took me in. They took care of me. They accepted me. Larke’s hopes were all tied to me. I wasn’t sure, but her father might have gotten better medical care on Kalquor, maybe even walked again if they’d been able to come along. But I had decided that I wasn’t going to take them with me because it was going to be inconvenient for me. I was going to say goodbye and just leave them there.”  
She saw him shiver. She scooted nearer. Put her hand on his arm. “You were young. You couldn’t see the future. You didn’t know those people would go crazy and torch Larke’s home.”  
His handsome face looked tortured. “They did it because of me! They’d seen Larke and her father harboring an alien, a demon, and they murdered them!” He was almost shaking now, he was so tense. “I was a coward. I didn’t want to face them and tell them I was leaving them behind. If I hadn’t dragged my feet all the way back up the mountains, feeling sorry for myself, I might have been there in time to protect them! Or, at least I might have been in that cabin and died with them instead of watching in shame from outside!”  
His voice was thick and choked. She felt tears stinging her eyes. She hated that he’d suffered all this time. “And you never told Frell and Zan the whole story?” She spoke firmly, keeping her own sorrow at bay. He shook his head. “Why, Rejan? They love you. They would have understood.”  
“It didn’t matter. By the time I emerged from my grief and my rage, I didn’t ever want to talk about it, ever again. I could never find the words. What’s more…” He chafed at his wrist. “What’s more is that I didn’t tell them because I was ashamed. I couldn’t stand the idea of them looking at me and knowing what a coward they had for a Dramok.”  
She wrapped her arms around him then and held on. What a terrible burden he’d been carrying all these years. What a blow to his belief in his own honor and integrity. To his pride as a clan leader. No wonder he was so tough on himself. And on others.  
“Rejan. I’m so sorry that happened to you. I’m so sorry you’ve had to carry this pain around, with no one to share it.” She paused, struggling to keep the tears out of her voice. She was only half-successful. “I’m touched that you shared it with me.”  
He turned and grabbed her against his chest, holding her tight. “Matara. Bethany. You are a sweet soul. Good for my clanmates. Too good for me.”  
She pulled back and framed his face with her hands. “You are not to blame for their deaths, Rejan.” He began to shake his head but she held it still. “No, dammit, listen to me. Just because you didn’t want to marry someone who really wasn’t right for you doesn’t make you a criminal. It makes you a sensible, wise man, especially for someone so young. Larke probably would’ve survived your leaving. People heal. It might even have been better for her, since she couldn’t adjust to you sexually and, like you say, she probably couldn’t have handled life on Kalquor. You did not set that damn fire. You couldn’t imagine anyone doing such a vicious thing, because you’re a good man. You were a good man then, and you’re a good man now.”  
“I’m not good. I hurt you because I couldn’t face it.”  
She chuckled. “I survived it. You’re not that powerful, O Great and Mighty Dramok Rejan, that you can ruin people’s lives so easily. Besides, like you said, I’m one mean Matara. I’m tough.”  
“My clan was hurt because I couldn’t accept you.”  
She sighed and hugged him. “You had every right to protect yourself. And your clan. I could have been hell on wheels with onions, for all you knew. A real bitch who wanted to land in the honey pot with some rich Kalquorians.”   
He dropped his cheek on top of her head. His voice was very tight and she knew he was hiding his own tears from her. She held still in his arms and waited until the storm passed.   
Finally, he said, “I need to tell them, don’t I?”  
She nodded. “But just for the record? You might want to remember that it’s not all about you.” She smiled to soften her sarcasm. “You’ve taught me that. It wasn’t all about you then and it’s not all about you now. That goes for the credit and for the blame.”  
They remained still for another long moment, tears slipping quietly. Beneath her cheek, he smelled like man and citrus-mint soap. Very nice. Her heart and her desire for him mingled. Being with him felt perfectly right, she realized. It was about damn time.  
She lifted her head and met his sorrowful eyes. He smiled, a very brief, almost Zan-style smile. Then he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, softly and tentatively. She felt more tears threatening. He was being so gentle with her. He really did want—need forgiveness.  
She broke the kiss and stood up. She held out her hand. “Come, my friend. Let’s go find your clanmates and you can tell them.”  
“Now?” His eyes widened.   
She giggled. “Don’t panic. I’ll be with you. You’ve had practice by telling me, so you’re on a roll. They’re going to listen. And they’re still going to love and respect you. I guarantee it. You were on the mark when you picked those two as your clanmates.”   
He hesitated. She sighed, then snapped her fingers. “Rejan. Come on.”  
He looked up at her, one brow raised. “You’re sure you’re not Dramok?”  
She hugged him again as he got to his feet. “Of course I’m Dramok. I’m a woman. We’re all three breeds, remember?”  
“True.” He leaned down and kissed her again. “Thank you, Bethany. Your kind heart has been good for all of us.”  
#  
“And that’s the whole truth, my clan. Can you forgive me?” Rejan felt like he was facing an inquest at the high Council.   
“No.”   
“Never.”  
He sagged. Then he caught the glint in Zan and Frell’s eyes and knew his joker clanmates were mocking him.   
“I might remind you that our clan is bonded for life.” He crossed his arms. “Are you sure you want to give your Dramok a hard time?”  
They looked at each other, then at him. They both nodded. Then dove on him. They pounded on him some more, until they realized Bethany was plastered into a corner, a horrified look on her face.  
“Matara!” Zan went to her and gathered her up. “What’s wrong?”  
“Look at you three!”  
Rejan looked at his clanmates. Zan had a torn shirt, a split lip and a big bruise swelling over one eye. Frell sported a bloody rip in his pants leg where someone had bitten him, had a blossoming black eye and an oddly bent finger. Rejan looked down to see blood on his fist, and he could feel several cuts and bruises making their presence known all over his body.  
“It’s all right, little one.” He smiled through a fat lip. “It’s just for fun.”  
“Fun? You all look like you had a fight with a shark-toothed laundry mangler!”  
“I have no idea what that is, Matara, but I’m guessing a mangler is not gentle?”  
“Rejan just told you a deep, dark secret! Why are you beating on him?”  
Zan cuddled her to his shoulder. “It’s how we are. We need to—” He looked to Frell. “How did you say it, my Imdiko?”  
Frell grinned. “It’s how we let off our feelings when they’re under too much pressure. We either fight or we fuck.” He shrugged. “We’re Kalquorian.”  
Rejan saw Bethany trying to process this. She was tough, yes, but underneath, she was a tender soul. And a female. It must be difficult for her to grasp that rather than an ugly brawl, she’d just witnessed a heart-felt session of three men expressing their care for each other. Frell had it right: when it came down to basics, for them it was fuck or fight. So much for his much-vaunted dignity!  
He recalled that Frell and Bethany had been teaching them to say more with words. He waved to his clan.   
“So, let me review. One: I was an asshat for not talking to you and telling you the truth. Two: I made things hard for you and Bethany. Three: I made things harder for me, too, and I took it out on the galaxy, in general. That about right?”  
Nods all around.   
“Let me try this again. My clan, can you forgive me?”  
This time, the two comedians looked at each other, then turned back to Rejan, and nodded.   
Rejan glowered. “What the hell happened to using our words, Imdiko?”   
Frell laughed. “I forgive you, Rejan. Of course. Always.”  
He looked to Zan. Zan smiled. Rejan felt honored. Usually he saved those for the little Earther in his arms.  
“I forgive you, Dramok Asshat.”  
Bethany grimaced, even as she laughed. “Can you all go get medical attention now? Please?”   
“No problem.”   
Frell went to fetch the first aid kit. Rejan refused his attentions, took the kit, and quietly tended his clanmates’ wounds, including resetting Frell’s dislocated finger. Their injuries were already vanishing by the time he was through and had tended his own. Kalquorians were quick healers and their meds worked fast.  
When he was finished, Bethany regarded him with such bright eyes that he felt his heart squeeze. Being an asshat Dramok rat bastard had cost him too much time with his clan and with her. He wondered if he would be welcome back in their bed. He glanced up at her, wavering.  
Those beautiful green eyes narrowed. “Rejan. Use your damn words.”   
He blinked at her, then roared with laughter. Mean Matara indeed. When he was done laughing, he looked around at them all and drew a deep breath.   
“I would like to make love to Bethany with my clan. Would that be all right with all of you?”   
Bethany smiled and nodded. Another knot in his chest came loose. He looked to his clanmates.  
“Give us time to shower and let the meds heal up our war wounds.” Frell rubbed his hands together. “We’ll meet in the sleeping room in say, seventeen seconds?”  
They laughed and scattered.  
Bethany went to the bathing pool. She took longer than seventeen seconds. The three men showered together while she bathed. Rejan hadn’t had his butt smacked so many times since he was punished as a boy. He’d have to draw the line with their disrespect of him soon, but for now, he was just glad to have his clan together again. He was warmed by their easy acceptance and affection. He vowed he’d never again take it for granted. Bless Bethany for making the first move to reunite them.   
He hung back in the bath when they’d finished. Zan came back and gave him a questioning look. “You don’t want that damned Imdiko to take her first, do you?”  
Rejan snorted. “I’m not worried about Frell. It’s Bethany.”  
“What about her?”  
“It will be our first time since I...we… I hope she can forget.”  
“Well, you’re never going to find out standing here with half a hard-on and your thumb up your butt.”  
Rejan’s jaw dropped. Zan’s expression was bland but he could see the amusement in his Nobek’s eyes. “Bethany is a kind woman. She’ll welcome you, Rejan.”  
“All right. But just so you know? I’m keeping account of your insults, you and Frell. You may meet with some nasty repercussions in the future.”  
Zan laughed and clapped his hand on his shoulder. “Fine. Now, as Frell would say, let’s get in there and fuck our beauty until she floats like a feather.”  
“That damned Imdiko is a bad influence on you.”


	20. Chapter Twenty

Alien Heart   
Inspired by the Clans of Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
Chapter Twenty

 

Bethany quivered inside as three huge, naked men gathered around her on the big bed. She had had the jitters before making love to Zan and Frell at the same time. Now came Rejan with them. She could recall some of what went on that one night that he and she were together. This time, they were stone-cold sober and their feelings were still so tentative.   
Was there too much water under the bridge for them?  
“Come here, sweet girl.” Frell pulled her between his legs and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Don’t be afraid. Remember? We know how to love a Matara.”  
She bit her lip even as Frell’s cuddling warmed her. Rejan watched her with those sharp, dark eyes and she wasn’t sure what was in their depths.   
Zan took her hand and kissed it, then Frell released her. The two of them slid back and it was just her and Rejan in the middle of the sleeping mat.   
She looked down, her hands clasped on her thighs as she knelt. Rejan reached out and took one of her hands and placed it over his heart. She felt it pounding. He gave her a lopsided smile.   
“As if you couldn’t tell from my heartbeat and my enthusiastic cocks, I want you, Bethany. Let me show you how much.”  
She opened her arms and he gathered her to him, his chest hard, his heart still pounding. She lifted her face up to his. “Yes, please.”  
And so it began. Rejan started with the softest kisses on her lips, then laid her down, and slid down her body, inch by inch, pressing those same, soft kisses everywhere up and down the length of her, to her toes and back. He was slow, careful, and thorough. By the time he returned to her mouth, she was sighing. She knew it had been a while since he’d had sex, so she was astonished at his insistence on caring for her so devotedly.   
“Raise your arms over your head, sweet girl. Hold them there.”   
She obeyed and he murmured his praise against her mouth. He lifted up and looked at her, sweeping a hand over her breasts. They were stretched up and out by her lifted arms and she felt his gaze like a touch on their sensitive skin.  
“You look like heaven.” He smiled. “I’ll bet you taste like it, too.”  
She almost buckled in two when he drew one of her breasts into his mouth, as much as he could take, cupping one hand beneath it. His mouth was soft and warm around her at first, then he began to stroke his rough, hot tongue over the tip. Every cell in her body seemed to focus on that one spot, dancing and firing off little sparks. She felt herself getting very warm and wet between her legs as he suckled the tip, hard, making that special connecting line from her breast to her pussy tug at her. She wanted to stroke his hair, run her hands over his smooth, rippling shoulders but Frell and Zan had already trained her to follow their demands in bed. She kept her arms stretched over her head, wrists crossed. Her body was vulnerable in this position, open and helpless. It felt so right, even as it made her anxious. Need began to bite deep as Rejan turned to the other breast and lavished the same attention on it.   
Oh, yes, he was very thorough. She remembered that from their first time. Evidently, being clan chief meant minding the details. If she was one mean Matara, Rejan was one thorough Dramok.   
When he sank between her legs and surveyed her, she watched him carefully. He stroked through her already swelling tissues with one long finger. Tenderly, slowly, the finger slipped into her vagina and stroked her, lovingly. He laid his head down so it rested on her thigh and just looked. She felt herself coloring up at his long gaze. She shivered and more of her juices slipped over her labia.   
“I remember this. Beautiful.” His deep voice rumbled against her flesh. “I don’t know if you know how much we love to look at your pussy, sweet girl. Or how gratifying it is to see your honey sliding out and through your soft flesh.” He took another long, slow swipe and lifted his finger so she could see the glistening of her moisture on his dark skin. “This kind of response can enslave a man.”  
“I don’t want a slave. I want a lover,” she whispered.   
He rubbed his cheek on her thigh. “Then a lover is what you’ll have.”  
#  
Zan and Frell sat just off the sleeping mat, shoulder to shoulder, their backs to the wall. The couple before them moved with an easy grace that brought smiles to their faces and heat to their cocks.   
“Look at them. They look good together.” Frell heard the satisfaction in Zan’s voice. “I haven’t seen Rejan look that focused on a female in years.”  
“Pretty Bethany is almost glowing.”  
“I love her, my Imdiko.”  
“I know, my Nobek.”  
“You do?” Neither of them took their eyes off Rejan and Bethany.   
“Known it since the morning after you first slept with her.”  
“Why didn’t you tell me?”  
Frell snickered. “No point, was there?”  
“Ohhh, yess.” He and Zan groaned together as Rejan rose up and sank his cocks slowly, deeply into their little love. The sight brought more heat to their own cocks. Frell reached across, took hold of his clanmate’s larger sex and gripped it firmly.   
“By the ancients, Frell! I—you—”  
Zan was incoherent for a moment as Frell pumped him slowly. Frell grinned. He loved making love with Bethany, but as an Imdiko, it still satisfied him to pleasure his clanmates when they were in need. It was an unspoken agreement that Rejan should take Bethany first, alone, so that he and she might get reacquainted as lovers, and for Rejan to reestablish himself as Dramok in the group. As important as that was, it was still difficult to watch them coupling and not be almost painfully aroused. They’d both hoped for this day for quite some time. Zan’s head tilted back against the wall and he closed his eyes, savoring the simple comfort Frell offered.   
“I can’t believe Bethany got him to talk.” Frell took his own cock in hand and pumped his and Zan’s in rhythm.   
“Rejan knew she was the one who needed to hear it first. Hold me harder…”  
Frell obliged his clanmate, gripping him tighter. The couple on the bed rose and fell and Bethany’s soft groans added to the joy in the room.   
“When do you plan to tell Rejan that you love her?”  
“When will you?”  
“I—but—”  
Zan pulled his Imdiko between his legs and seized his cock. His own cock pressed warmly against Frell’s back. Frell sighed in contentment. Yes, sex with Bethany was the ultimate and he loved to pleasure his clanmates, but when it came to pure, uncomplicated relief, there was also no one like Zan and his big, hard hands.   
“I asked you a question.” Zan held off his slick stroking.   
“I don’t know. You think he’s ready? Ahhh.”  
Zan had resumed his steady pumping. “So, you do love her?”   
Frell let his head fall back on Zan’s shoulder. “You know I do. More, damn you. Faster.”  
“Be nice, Imdiko.”  
“Sorry. Look at them. Bethany’s about to come. See? Her sweet little ass is lifting up off the sleeping mat, trying to get Rejan to fuck her more deeply.”  
Zan laughed. “No one pushes our Dramok.”  
“Especially not a Matara in bed.”  
Bethany burst forth in a warbling cry and both Zan and Frell groaned softly with her climax. Zan’s cock against his back felt like it was made of iron.   
“Harder,” Frell groaned. Zan brought his other hand around and took Frell’s smaller cock. “Unnhh…suns, but that’s good, my Nobek.”  
“Just watch them, Imdiko. They’re getting ready to peak. Rejan can’t hold out much longer. Bethany’s so warm and soft after she comes.”  
“Unnhh…”  
Frell lost all power of speech as his own climax gripped the base of his spine. Zan’s cock was fire-hot against his back and so close he could feel the Nobek’s heartbeat in it. Rejan and Bethany were moving faster, harder. Bethany was whimpering and begging, Rejan was growling, pounding into her.   
Bethany went rigid and her long, keening cry drove all three men over the edge. Frell pulsed in Zan’s big hand. Zan came against Frell’s back. Rejan roared over them all, triumphant, proud to have possessed and pleasured his woman.  
It was a while before they all came down. Frell knew it was about to get even better. He and Zan wiped each other off and huffed laughter at their mutual, vicarious excitement. There was no need for words or embraces or anything else. They had shared. They had come. It was good.   
It was time to share their sweet girl as a clan. That was better than anything.  
Frell crawled across the bed and scooped her up for a deep, soft kiss. She melted into him and he knew Rejan had bitten her as well as made her come twice. He looked up at Rejan and grinned. It must have taken courage on both their sides for his Dramok to bite her after their first encounter.   
“She submitted like a dream,” Rejan murmured, sliding past him. “I can’t wait to have her again.”  
“How are you, little sweetheart?”  
She blinked up at him and sighed. “Oh, Frell. I just...just…”  
“Just couldn’t wait to have me, yes?”  
She giggled. “True. I can’t wait to have all three of you.”  
Zan slipped between her legs. “Really, pretty girl?”  
She nodded, her smile made of pure bliss.   
#  
Bethany woke to find Rejan missing from the bed. Sex with the whole clan had been a revelation. Never had she felt so adored and never had she been worked so hard. Rejan was obviously making up for lost time and he seemed to be everywhere, his voracious mouth tormenting her as first Zan took her and then Frell. Then, finally, all three had taken her at once, every opening filled, all of them moving in a deep, demanding rhythm that drove her mad with want. When she had come three times, Frell returned his cock to her mouth and the three had driven hard and climaxed in unison, their howls of repletion ringing around the room. She had collapsed onto Rejan’s chest and they had all cuddled her to sleep, sweet praises in her ears.   
Now she was awake and worried. Had Rejan run, horrified that he’d given in and taken an Earther once again?   
She placed a soft kiss on Zan as he woke, ready to rise and come to her aid. He was always alert to every movement, long before anyone else. Ever on guard. She motioned for him to go back to sleep and padded, naked, out into the house. She caught a peek of someone’s head sitting on a lounger on the patio. She went quietly to stand behind it and place her arms around Rejan’s shoulders.   
He looked up at her, then she came around to sit on his lap. She wriggled happily against him and felt his cocks began to fill. He sat upright with his hands just resting at her waist.   
She looked around at the hills beyond their garden. The faintest hint of first light, of a shade that reminded her of pink grapefruit, was just beginning to seep into the heavy blanket of stars overhead.   
“Such lovely colors here. No wonder Frell went mad with his painting.”  
He nodded. “Yes. He seems to be doing more work than ever. I’m pleased for him.”  
He still held her awkwardly, his back rigid. She peered up into his striking face. Her shoulders sank. “You’re waiting for me to go to pieces.”  
“No, Matara. I...well, maybe.”  
“Would you like me to? Just so you can get it out of your system?”  
He glared at her. “You’re a bit bratty this morning, aren’t you?”  
“Yes. I suppose I get bratty when someone thinks the worst of me just because I’m Earth-born.”   
She shook her head. Her heart softened toward him. He looked so miserable. Larke had really done a number on him. She wished she could hate her, but she knew how difficult it was to resist the religious indoctrinations of the old Earth. Despite all her problems, Larke had loved Rejan. She’d paid a terrible price for that love.  
Bethany needed to help Rejan past those old hurts. She thought for a moment, then smiled.  
“I tell you what. It’s almost dawn. According to old Earther folk lore, when morning comes, the enchanted person or horse or gerbil or whatever changes back into their real form. How about I just sit here with you until it’s light? If morning comes and I don’t pitch a conniption fit, you’ll know I’m not one of the cringers or screamers. Then we’ll let all this go, okay?”   
“Just hold you?”  
“Yes. I’m still sleepy. You three wore me out and it’s nice and warm being in your lap. I’m just going to settle in and you can watch and see if I turn back into a pumpkin by morning.”  
“Pumpkin?”  
She giggled. “A big orange squash. From one of those old folk tales.” She snuggled against him and pulled his arms around her like a blanket. “Night, night.”  
She closed her eyes and sighed as his warmth soaked into her and she relaxed to the rhythmic beating of his heart. She let herself drift. When she woke it was daylight and she was still in Rejan’s hold. She blinked up at him and smiled slowly.   
“Those are awfully hard cocks, Dramok,” she murmured, moving gently on him. “Can I help you with them?”  
His arms wrapped her tightly and he laughed, his cheek against the top of her head. “Little Bethany, I am sorry. I’m an idiot.”  
“Nope, no name-calling.” She ran a hand over his chest. So smooth, so warm. She kissed the hard muscled surface. “So, what is your pleasure, sir?”  
He stood up with her in his arms and stalked to the bathing pool. Steam rose off it in the shady grotto. He stepped down into it until he could sit and hold her between his legs.   
She splashed a bit. “Mmm. This is very nice.”  
“I watched you, you know.”  
“Watched?”  
“When Zan and Frell took you in here for the first time. That first day.”  
“Ahh. And did you like what you saw?”  
“Like it?” His big hands began to cup and caress her breasts. “I almost came in my formsuit you looked so lovely with my clanmates’ hands on you. Zan washing you. Frell feeding you. I wanted you but I wouldn’t let myself near you.”  
She slipped around so she could face him. “We were both pretty damn stubborn, weren’t we? I owe them an apology, too, for holding a grudge against you for so long. All they’ve wanted was for us to be happy together.”  
He nodded. She kissed him, hard. “So, want to wash me now? I got pretty sweaty playing with you guys all night long.”  
His smile was wickedly joyful. He steered her closer to the tray with soaps and shampoos and selected the one he wanted. He pulled her into the waterfall and wet her all over, soaking her hair. She began to shake with laughter. He’d chosen a shampoo that smelled of cinnamon.  
“Something’s funny, Matara?”  
“Seriously? You’re going to wash my hair with something that smells like your cocks?”  
He froze, open-mouthed. She giggled and patted his chest. “Something primitive and Kalquorian, I guess. Mark your mate with your scent and all that.”  
He sniffed her hair and roared in laughter. “Suns, but you’re good for me. You never let me get too full of myself. Do you want to choose another scent?”  
“Uh-uh. I want you to wash me and then get me too full of yourself.”  
He grabbed her to him and growled. “You’re the naughtiest, sweetest, toughest Matara I’ve ever known. I can’t wait to fill you.”  
Well, evidently, he could wait. At least for a while. She sighed as he soaped her and rubbed her and slicked his hands everywhere on her body. He had her humming with pleasure by the time he rinsed her off and carried her, wet, over to the lounger. He took a soothing lotion and worked it into her skin, all over, then flipped her over and did the same to her back until she became a puddle in the middle of the cushions. He took some extra lotion and began to slip between her legs, rubbing and sliding through her aroused flesh.   
“Ooh. Rejan, that is the best feeling.”  
“Yes, it is.”  
He pulled her down toward the end of the lounger, then lifted her hips until she was kneeling just on the edge. He moved between her lower legs and spread her thighs further apart. He ran a slick finger from the top of her ass, along the cleft, and all the way to her mound. Her juices began to flow and he rumbled his pleasure, deep in his chest.   
A moment later, she jerked as she felt his tongue lick her all the way down and back up. She gasped and wriggled. He slapped her buttock.   
“Hold still. This is mine to taste.”  
She gulped. Then smiled into the cushions. He was his Dramok self again. Bossy. Demanding. Dominating. She melted further as his fingers gripped her hips and pinned her in place. His rough tongue licked at her, ploughing through her folds, stabbing into her sheath, teasing her clit. He slid upward and she froze as his tongue swirled around the tight entry to her rear passage, pressing in and out. She buried her face in the cushions and shrieked at the strange, exciting sensation. A shudder rippled down her spine and she couldn’t hold still. She got another spank, this one harder. She felt the pain of it shoot straight to her sheath, making her clench. Then, more melting pleasure.  
Too weird.   
He slipped a hand to her front and began to slick one finger along the very top of her cleft, just below her mound. The tickling made her giggle and made Rejan lick her still more wickedly. His finger found her clit and began to rub around, alongside, and above it but he didn’t touch it. She could feel it swell as it begged to be touched. He ignored it and went to work pressing his finger into her sheath, filling her and making her moan at the way he pumped her slowly, carefully.   
A climax was threading its way down her spine, setting off sparks all the way. “Rejan.” She groaned as he added another finger, then, quickly, another into her slick and clenching cunt. She whimpered and got another hot spank when she thrust herself down onto his hand.   
“Move again, Matara, and I’ll stop everything.”  
She gulped and stilled. “I’m sorry, Dramok. I’ll hold still. I promise.”  
She meant it, too. For about two minutes. Now he had a big finger pressing its way into her ass, sliding along and stretching her. She bit the cushion, clenching her jaw to fight back the need to move.   
“Pretty Bethany,” he crooned. “Don’t move. Don’t come. Or I’ll stop.”   
She groaned. “And you think I’m mean?”  
He slipped one of his fingers from her cunt and began to circle her clit. Closer. Closer.   
“Pleeaase, Rejan!”  
“All right, lovely one. No more waiting.” He pressed down on her clit and stroked. She bucked and shuddered, then exploded. Her climax welled up and dragged her under, rolling her in storming waves of pleasure. He kept pressing her, pumping her and she screamed as she dove deep, arching and shivering and straining against his tormenting, delightful touch. She hung there, suffering spasm after spasm, crying out his name.   
At last, she loosened and sagged. He carefully extricated his hands and ran them over her ass and thighs, then up over her back, soothing her and bringing her out of the ocean depths. At last, when she’d stopped twitching, he rose from his knees and pressed himself against her cleft.   
He rubbed his big sex up and down her slick furrow, coating her with his own lubricant, mingling it with hers. He pressed against her anus. She jolted in surprise. He stopped at once and pulled away.   
“I’m sorry, little one. I didn’t—”  
“Didn’t want laxan?”  
His voice was tight. “Yes. But not if you—”  
“Just go slowly, please.” She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. He looked like he didn’t know if he should bolt or take her like a jackhammer. She gave a soft laugh. “I’ve been with Zan and Frell, remember?”  
He stroked her back. “Do you want me to bite you?”  
She nodded. “I think that would be nice.”  
She laid her head down on the cushion and waited for the sting of his fangs.  
“I’m going to bite your lovely thigh, sweet one. Is that all right?”  
“Yes. I’m ready.”  
The bite, when it came, was a shock, as always, but she soon felt the deep relaxation and joy of the intoxicant mingling in her bloodstream. He lifted away and licked the spot tenderly, then pressed a kiss on it.   
He stood again and ran his hands over her ass. “You’re so beautiful, Matara. Like making love to a dream.”  
“Mmmf.” She couldn’t manage words any more.   
He chuckled, then leaned in and pressed his cock against her. She moaned and wiggled, ready to be taken.   
He fitted himself to her and pressed against the tight little opening. He was slick and his bullet-shaped cock slid over the first ring of muscles with ease. As his cock began to thicken toward its base, she whined at the discomfort.   
“Easy, little one. Relax. I won’t hurt you, but I am claiming you this way.”  
He pressed in further, slowly, ever so slowly. She managed to relax. The ache of his presence in her tight passage converted to fullness and then to pleasure. She felt his groin meet her buttocks and they both groaned in relief and passion.   
He moved in and out of her, easily, carefully. She sighed and more of the intoxicant seemed to surge into her system. He reached beneath her, positioned his smaller cock and on the next thrust, it entered her vagina, causing her to clench down and shiver for a long moment.   
He waited and she relaxed and he began again. She loved the feeling of fullness but she also loved the awareness of how much her Kalquorian loved this act. How much he needed it, for its sensuality but also for the raw dominance of the position. It was glorious to answer that need for him. The bite made her want it more than ever, want more than ever to please him.  
He began to gently rock forward and back, not leaving her, just moving his hips while keeping her tight against his groin. The small movements were sensational. She felt everything slip away until she was both pure desire and desire’s pure response.   
“Bethany,” he whispered, rocking her. “You’re wonderful, precious girl. I could stay right here forever, just like this.”  
He leaned forward and his hands slipped under her to play with her breasts. He rolled the nipples, pressed and rubbed them with his thumbs. He pinched and she gasped, shock waves darting straight to her sheath, making her clench down on him again, in both places.   
He groaned and began to thrust. Faster. Harder. She grunted as he began to pound into her and she felt his control begin to slip. She pushed back against him, feeling the ache, feeling the burn, feeling the wild, almost savage orgasm that was stalking around her.   
“More,” she cried. “Oh, please! I need more!”  
He slammed against her, over and over. At last, as she was growing frantic with the need to climax, he slipped his hand down her front, seized her clit between his fingertips and pinched. Hard.   
She shrieked and began to come, shuddering and heaving and groaning through clenched teeth. She felt her world spin away, felt herself riding the wind, being tossed and buffeted by the wild pleasure of climaxing around his hard, hard cocks.   
He gave a shout just as she peaked and another climax hit her as he continued to rut hard against her. He stiffened suddenly, then roared to the skies as his cocks jerked inside her, over and over, sending his hot seed into her depths. She was sobbing and crying out as they rode the last of the aftershocks down to the cushions, down to lie together in a heaving, puffing heap.   
He pulled out of her with infinite care, kissing her lower back and the two dimpled spots just above her buttocks. He lifted her up and turned her so they lay face to face. His hand stroked down her cheek. “Thank you, darling girl. You were perfect. You are perfect.”  
She snuggled herself closer and gave a huge sigh of contentment. “Okay, so I was screaming when morning came, after all.”  
He shook with laughter. “I am so glad my Nobek ran you over.”


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

ALIEN HEART  
Inspired by the Clans of Kalquor series by Tracy St. John  
Chapter 21

A few days later, Bethany sat in her private room in the villa and toyed with the plate of fruit she’d brought in to munch while she worked on the next design stage for Israla’s garden. The clan had scattered that morning after they’d eaten together. Frell had gone to the transport docks to oversee the loading of his art and materials onto the cargo ship, Rejan was with his new customer, and Zan was consulting with a Plasian fire-fighting unit. They hadn’t liked leaving her alone, but she assured them she would be very cautious. Besides, she knew that Zan had set up a security system in and around the villa that was unparalleled, as far as she could tell.   
They’d gone off after many kisses and many warnings and she actually felt a little relieved to have bit of time for her own thoughts. They’d made it clear she was to make the villa their home, but when they were around, she wanted to make the most of their limited time together.   
The time for saying goodbye still loomed in her mind. Rejan now took his place in her heart, especially as he was at such pains to make amends. She was overflowing with love and well aware that it just added to the pain she would experience when they left.   
She tilted her com unit and eyed the invitation again. A professor she’d met at an embassy party had contacted her with news that she was giving a short course in Plasian botany, beginning in two days. It was a rare offering and it would advance Bethany’s knowledge immeasurably, which would serve her career plans. The course was two weeks long and took place in Minishan, so Bethany would be away for most of the remaining time she had with the clan. She could advance her career and began to separate from the clan if she accepted Professor Taluna’s offer.   
She sighed. It was a wrench even to have them away for few hours. Could she actually make herself leave? She pushed away the plate. God, her heart was already aching. She opened a com link and accepted the invitation.  
The clan stared at her with identical stunned expressions when she told them at dinner.   “It’s a great opportunity and who knows when it will come again,” she chirped. “I’ve always wanted to know more about Plasian biology and botany, and Professor Taluna is one of the foremost experts on native bromeliads.”  
“Two weeks?” Zan seemed frozen in his seat.  
“Yes. I’ll be back before you leave.”  
Rejan’s look was darkly suspicious. “This Professor, you know her?”  
Bethany nodded. “I’ve met her, yes. And I’ve checked with others who have attended her courses. It’s all legitimate.” She gave him a smile. “But thank you for caring.”  
“This is what you wish, Bethany?” Frell’s perceptive gaze held hers for a long moment.   
She kept her eyes steady. “It is. I know the timing’s not perfect, but it is important to me. You’re all going to be so busy packing and finishing up your business here, you’ll hardly know I’m gone.”  
“Not true. I will miss you.”  
Her heart squeezed as she saw the adamant set of Zan’s chin. She hated to make him hurt but it would be a small hurt and he’d recover. She needed to withdraw so they could all recover more easily.   
“If this is something you truly want, sweet gardener, then we won’t stand in your way.” Frell turned to Rejan. “Will we, my Dramok?”  
Rejan showed no emotion now, not even suspicion. “We will not. You must go and do what you must, Matara.”  
She wondered if he suspected why she was leaving. It was too soon for him to have learned to trust her entirely. He was shutting down, guarding against any strong attachment. It was exactly what she needed for all of them to do, despite the pain of his mistrust.  
They saw her off at the dock and stood watching as she boarded and took a seat where the vid wall showed the two-way view. She felt the lump in her throat tighten as the ship rose, banked and blinked away, into the sky.   
Now, no purity nuts who might still be lurking would attack them because of her. Now, no awkwardness had to be felt in the clan because of her. Now, she would immerse herself in the knowledge of her passions: flowers, and her new home of Plasius. Deep immersion, because it would take all the effort she could put forth to stave off the clamoring of her heart and its longing for the three men who’d captured it, even for so short a time.  
She fought off her tears until she had arrived in Minishan and was settled in the little student hostel near the botanical studies campus. She smiled and shook her head at the soft bedding and sturdy furniture of even the small room she was to live in for the next two weeks. On Plasius, everything, every place, everyone was prepared for sex at a moment’s whim. She carried out the lilies floating in a bowl on the dining table and gently set them on a flat stone in the courtyard. The last thing she needed right now was a case of florally-induced horniness, nor did she need the reminder of Rejan stroking her skin with the velvety white petals. She was here to get past the loss of bedding her beloveds.   
She went inside, reviewed her coms. Zan had already sent her three brief, sweet messages while she was out of communication on the ship. Frell sent her a still vid of his latest sketch--an astoundingly gorgeous nude of his Nobek which made her blush warm all over. Rejan reminded her to check in with them when she arrived. Each message was so endearingly characteristic of each man.   
Now, her tears came. She crumpled onto the bed and flooded her pillow.   
She was doing the right thing, she told herself as her tears began to be exhausted. She knew it. The messages would slow. The intensity would fade. The bonds between them would loosen.   
But damn, it hurt.  
#  
Zan stood at the edge of the garden. He had been up since dawn, marking off the foundation for the greenhouse. It felt good to be doing something with his hands, to keep his body occupied. Even so, he wondered for the thousandth time what Bethany was doing right now.  
The three of them had agreed that they wanted Bethany to live in the villa when they went home. All of them wanted to let her stay for free but Rejan had pointed out that Bethany’s independent streak wouldn’t accept that. A nominal rent was set and they went about smiling at the idea of the little gardener inhabiting their home. Zan had been the one to suggest the greenhouse. The others had come on board enthusiastically and Rejan again delayed their departure so they could finish it.   
Even as they made plans for Bethany here on Plasius, Zan knew he was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to say what was in his heart. He was fairly sure his Imdiko would agree but Rejan was still very much an unknown quantity when it came to Bethany and their future with her.   
He heard Rejan coming through the breezeway into the villa. His Dramok came to stand at his side, surveying the markers, their small flags fluttering. Zan saw he held the greenhouse plans rolled in his hand. Rejan gave him a knowing look.  
“She’s in your blood, isn’t she?”   
Zan nodded. “She has my heart, Rejan. I never thought it would happen. I was happy with you and Frell. We are a good clan. But Bethany with her sweet ways, her sweet body? I can’t think about anything other than how much I want her for our Matara.”  
Rejan didn’t look surprised. Neither did he look overjoyed at the idea. “We haven’t discussed this.”  
“I know. But I need to say it. You need to know how I feel. If you haven’t already guessed.” Zan watched his Dramok carefully. He had been happy with Bethany of late, but would he want her as a lifemate?  
“Asking a woman to be our Matara is a big step. Asking an Earther is even more so. Have you spoken of this to her?”  
“No. I would never speak until I knew what our clan thinks.”  
“Thank you. And Frell?”  
“We’ve spoken briefly. Nothing serious.”  
“Bethany’s very attached to Plasius. Would she want to go home with us?”  
“I don’t want her to leave if she wishes to stay.”  
Rejan frowned. “Are you saying that if she doesn’t want to go to Kalquor, you will stay here with her?”  
Zan shook his head. “I want us all to stay.”  
Rejan was silent. Zan wondered if he had just lobbed a grenade into the midst of his clan. How angry would Rejan be that he’d even suggest such a thing?  
“Live here on Plasius? All of us?”  
“With Bethany as our Matara.”  
Rejan paced around the perimeter of the staked-out foundation. He swung the rolled plans back and forth. Zan waited patiently. He knew Rejan well. He was being cautious, knowing he had the responsibility for the future of the clan. His decision was law and he would never abuse it by making snap decisions.   
Rejan stood across the area from him. His face was sober. “If I say no, what will it mean for you, my Nobek?”  
Zan met his eyes squarely. “I will obey my Dramok. You know that. You can always count on me for that. But to be without Bethany will mean the loss of my heart.”  
Rejan studied him for a long time. “And if I give you permission to stay here with her, while Frell and I return to Kalquor, what would it mean?”  
“It would mean I would mourn deeply the loss of my clan.”   
Rejan nodded slowly. Zan wished he could lie to his old friend but Rejan would know at once. He wanted a life with his pretty girl. Wanted to make love with her every day. Wanted to care for her and protect her. Wanted to fill her up with babies. Help her plant her gardens and tend her flowers, sail together. Go through good times and bad at her side. He was no green boy. He knew his mind as well as his heart. Love might never come to him again.  
He heard Frell approaching. Their Imdiko did not have his usual spring in his step. He came to stand next to Zan. Frell patted his back.   
“It’s good to make a start, yes? Suns, but I miss our little gardener. My cocks are about to wither from loneliness.”  
Rejan snorted. “You’re incorrigible.”  
Frell smiled proudly. “That’s what Bethany says.”   
Zan watched the two men he cared for most in all the universe. Could he really say goodbye to them? He and Rejan had been together for a decade and more; they had old, deep roots. Frell was new to them. He was just getting to know the kind, supremely horny Imdiko and he always appreciated Frell’s humor and warmth. Yes, they were a good clan. He would mourn if he had to make a choice, but his choice was Bethany.  
Frell tilted his head. “Who died?”   
Rejan straightened. “Zan wants us to stay on Plasius. With Bethany.” Zan heard his effort to keep his voice neutral.  
Frell eyed them both carefully. “Make her our Matara?”  
“Yes.” Rejan walked toward them. “And resettle.”  
Zan watched as Frell stared at the marked-out ground. It seemed to draw all their eyes. But then, it was easier than confronting one another, wasn’t it?  
“Leave our home? Our families?” Frell spoke slowly, as if trying to confirm what his ears were telling him.   
“Yes.” Zan held his gaze. “I know it’s a lot to ask. If you can’t stay, I will understand. If Rejan orders me to return to Kalquor without her, I will do so. But my heart will stay here, with Bethany.”  
“Rejan? Would you be happy with either of these solutions?”  
Rejan squatted down and picked up a stick to draw in the dust. “No. I will not be happy. I just got a long taste of what it was like to sleep without my clan around me. I just got you back. The idea of losing either of you is untenable.”  
Frell plopped down on a nearby rock. “You would not allow Zan to stay here with Bethany?”  
Rejan growled. “Yes. No! I need my Nobek, dammit.”  
“And if your Imdiko wanted to stay?” Frell voice was soft.   
Zan stared at him. Was he hearing right?  
Rejan blinked at him. “You love her that much? You would stay here, so far from our families? Our home?”  
“I love her, Rejan. I may joke about needing her for sex but to tell the truth, she makes or breaks my day. I want to be better for her, every day. I want to paint her every day. I want to have her at the center of our lives. Yes, I would choose to be with her no matter where she went.”  
Rejan’s face clouded. “I need my Imdiko, too, dammit.”   
“If you forbid us to stay, we will follow you. We are clanned for life and we will honor that bond and respect your word as our Dramok. But I’m afraid you can’t order our hearts to stop loving Bethany.”  
Zan waited. Rejan returned to digging in the dirt with his stick.   
“My Dramok. There is one thing we have yet to do.” Zan’s clanmates looked up. He lifted his chin. “We have yet to ask Bethany if she wants to be our Matara.”  
There was a long silence.  
“Well, fuck me.” Frell gave a short laugh. “Here we are, moaning over what we’re going to do and we don’t know if she even wants to clan with us.”  
Rejan looked at both of them, speculatively. “Do you think she would say yes?”  
“Oh, no, Rejan. Don’t even think it.” Zan scowled. “If she says yes and you try to order her to go with us to Kalquor just because she’s your Matara, I will pound you. Dramok or no Dramok, I will rip off your arm and shove it up your ass.”  
Frell and Rejan’s eyes went wide. Rejan growled, but Frell held up his hand.   
“Wait! As your Imdiko, I am saying that there will be no arm ripping or pounding or shoving. You’ll only make Bethany sick to her stomach.” He batted his eyelashes. “And I’m not sure my delicate sensibilities would tolerate it, either.”  
Rejan dropped his head, hiding the smile that threatened. “Damned Imdiko.”  
Zan snorted, then looked contrite. “I am sorry for my disrespect, my Dramok.”  
“No, I understand. Frell’s right. We’re not thinking enough about Bethany.” Rejan was silent for a long time. Then, sighing, he said, “I love her, too, you know.”  
“You do?” Zan and Frell were practically in unison. Zan saw Rejan’s stern face soften. His heart suddenly took wing.   
“Yes. I have to be honest. I can’t believe how empty this place is without her. She’s been a healer and a joy to me and to my clan. Her body is my refuge. She is always on my mind.” He motioned to the stakes in the ground before them. “I’ve spent more time on this project than I have on my business of late. I want to see her happy.”  
Zan gazed at his Dramok with relief and joy. “I am glad, Rejan.” He studied Rejan’s face. “Would you say you love her enough to ask her to be our Matara?”  
Rejan’s smile was slow but Zan saw that it reached into the depths of his friend’s soul. “Yes. I want her to be our Matara.”   
“And you’re not saying this just because you feel outvoted?” Frell’s look was keen.   
“Have you ever known me to feel outvoted?”   
The three men regarded each other for a long moment. True to form, Frell spoke first.  
“What do you say we tell her how much we love her?” He rubbed his hands together. “No, let’s show her. Let’s build this thing, and when she gets back, let’s bring her here to tell her how we feel.”  
“Can we get it finished before she returns?” Rejan looked over the bare ground.   
“What the hell do we have all this money for if not to spend it on our Matara?” Frell grinned. “We can afford to hire help.”  
“I know who to contact.” Zan nodded. “He’s building a structure for the park but he knows workers.”  
Rejan stood and tossed away his stick. “Com him.”  
The next few days were a blur. Zan’s heart was full. His clan. His love. His life was good. He threw himself into building the greenhouse and it was satisfying to see his clanmates join in with equal enthusiasm. At every decision, they consulted one another, asking what Bethany would like, what would be best for her, what would be a way of making her work easier and safer. How to make her life more beautiful. They poured their love into their labors and the glass house rose, glittering in the Plasian suns.   
They woke early and worked until the light was gone. Frell usually called time and they trooped into the villa to clean up and make evening meal together. They were tired but happy when they bedded down together at night. They had sex, but afterward, they always agreed that it would be far better with their Matara. With Bethany.  
Bethany commed them every day and they gathered around the vid to feast on her lovely face and hear her warm voice. Zan longed for her with a good, deep ache.   
They worked late one day, using their night vision to keep working well past sunset. They knocked off at last and went into the house. Zan saw the com blinking and went eagerly to retrieve the message. It was a text from Bethany. He frowned. He wanted to see her on vid. He read it over and groaned.   
“What is it?” Rejan came to hand him a drink.   
“It’s from Bethany. She says she’s having a wonderful time and has met a botanist in Minishan who has a special heritage collection of Plasian plants. She’s going to stay on for a few more days.”  
“Well, at least we don’t have to break our necks to get the greenhouse finished.” Rejan’s face didn’t look relieved, though.   
“Why did she send text?” Zan stared at the com. “She has a good vid on her com.”  
“Maybe she didn’t have time. Or her vid was acting up.”  
“I suppose. Damn. I want her home.”  
“We all do.”   
Zan thought about her later that night. He should be happy for her success in making new connections for her work. But he couldn’t be happy about having to wait longer until she was with them. He went to the vid unit and made a short vid to her.   
“Pretty girl, we miss you. Be happy. Be safe. Come home soon.”   
#  
Bethany came to with the world shifting beneath her. She tasted something smoky and metallic and her insides felt hollow. She was groggy, her eyelids fluttering up and then down before she could see.  
Holy hell, had she drunk too much leshella? She couldn’t recall feeling this bad since that horrible morning-after-Rejan.  
“Don’t try to move too fast.” A woman’s voice came from somewhere on her right. “You’re going to be woozy and the last thing this place needs is more upchuck.”  
Bethany frowned. An Earther accent. She knew this voice. She blinked and squinted until her eyes worked again. The woman’s face swam into focus. A little older than her. Blonde curls. She did know her. “You’re...you were...at Bliss.”  
“Right.” The woman’s voice was bitingly sour. “Me and my dumb ideas.”  
Bethany tried to sit up but the woman put out a hand and held her in place. She tried to struggle but her companion held her with almost no effort. Cripes, she had all the muscle strength of a jellied eel. What was wrong with her?  
“They filled you full of tranks. You were a real fighter, I guess.”  
Bethany looked around as her vision started to clear. Dim lights, dark walls, transport containers. The labels were written in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Earther.  
She shot up and paid the price. Her head whirled and she was sure her eyes crossed. She sagged back against the floor. “No.”   
“Yes. I had hoped it was just Dantovonian sex slavers.” The shop owner regarded her with bleak eyes. “But no such luck. Earthers have us and they’re taking us back.” 

END PART ONE


End file.
